Jordan King appoints new PM, intelligence chief after government of Maaruf Bakhit resigned

Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday appointed a new prime minister and intelligence chief after the government of Maaruf Bakhit failed to meet growing calls for change.

The king named International Court of Justice judge Awn Khasawneh, 61, as prime minister, telling him that his government's top priority is political reform.

"Continuing political reform drive requires reconsidering and reviewing several laws in line with our new constitution, freedom, pluralism and rule of law," the king said in a letter to Khasawneh, who has been a member of The Hague-based court since 2000. "I am entrusting you to form a new government that would enhance reform and modernization," he highlighted.

The appointment followed the resignation earlier Monday of Bakhit, who was appointed in February, at the request of the monarch following growing public demands that his government resign. "We have accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit, taking into consideration the views of the various sectors of society as well as a letter we have received from the parliamentary majority," the king said.

Parliament is in recess, but around 70 MPs on Sunday signed a letter to the king, criticizing the work of Bakhit. The document has not been made public.

On Saturday, unknown attackers hurled stones and fired shots to disperse participants at an anti-corruption conference in northern Jordan, injuring at least 35 people. The attack has drawn the ire of the opposition, which has held "the regime responsible" for the incident, and called for "proving its good will."

Khasawneh was to immediately begin consultations to form the new government, sources close to him said. They added that he had "asked for guarantees that he fully assumes the prerogatives of prime minister as stipulated in the constitution."

The king also on Monday appointed Major-General Feisal Shobaki as intelligence chief, replacing Mohamad Raqqad, who has held the position since 2008.

In August, the king held meetings with various Jordanian groups and spoke of a "tsunami" of change in top state posts to enhance his reform drive, according to those who attended the gatherings.