West Asia

Jordanians slam Tarawneh appointment as new PM

Jordanians have marched in the capital, Amman, to express their frustration with the appointment of Fayez Tarawneh as the country’s new prime minister.

Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets on Friday, one day after King Abdullah II asked Tarawneh to form a new government, to protest against his appointment, stressing that the country’s premier must be elected by the people.

”Tarawneh, if the people did not elect you, you will not be able to take decisions,” the demonstrators chanted.

They also said that genuine reforms that they are demanding will not be achieved by this type of changes to the government, including changing the prime minister.

“The people want to change policies, not only governments,” read a banner. Tarawneh, 63, was prime minister and head of the royal court under Abdullah’s father.

They also protested against delays in making reforms and fighting corruption.

On Thursday, Jordan’s prime minister Awn Khasawneh resigned only six months after forming a government which he promised would fight corruption and introduce political and economic reforms.

Khasawneh, however, failed to deliver on promises of reforms and almost weekly protest rallies demanding reforms were held during his tenure. He is the third Jordanian premier to resign since the beginning of anti-government protest rallies in the country last year.

Jordanians have been holding street protests demanding political reforms, including the election of the prime minister by popular vote, and an end to corruption since January 2011. There have been no calls for the king to be removed from power.

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