West Asia

Thousands Rally for Political Change in Jordan

Thousands of protesters gathered in downtown Amman, Jordan, Friday to demand political change.

The demonstration came less than a day after King Abdullah II dissolved the country’s parliament, and called for early elections close to the new year, CNN reported.

The peaceful rally called for constitutional reforms, with protesters complaining that the king has too much power. They demanded that representatives be able to run for election in a democratic system rather than be under his control.

“Whoever (is) corrupted is the enemy of God,” they chanted, waving Jordanian flags.

Many said Jordan’s economy is hurting, and too many people cannot afford the high cost of living and are being burdened by high inflation.

Unemployment is too high, they said, and young people especially are without work.

Protesters Friday chanted, “We came to call for reforms and an amendment to the constitution so the people can see the light!”

The Muslim Brotherhood organized the protest.

The Brotherhood has repeatedly called for political reform in Jordan.

“No way are we going to accept anymore that one person rules over 6 million people and nobody can ask him about what he does,” said Nimer al-Assaf, deputy secretary general of the Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The complaints have been echoed for some time in Jordan and gained steam when the Islamic Awakening uprisings (known as the Arab Spring in the West) began to sweep North Africa and the Middle East in 2010 and 2011.

Popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have ousted longtime dictators from power.

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