Jordan’s King Abdullah II says he will give the country’s lawmakers the authority to appoint cabinet ministers and choose a prime minister

Jordan's King Abdullah II says he will give the country's lawmakers the authority to appoint cabinet ministers and choose a prime minister.

The change, starting next year, will allow the elected 120-seat parliament to choose a prime minister, a decision which the king can veto, said the king's adviser Amjad Adaileh on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Adaileh added, if King Abdullah vetoes, parliament will search for a consensus with the king on an alternative candidate.

Under the current system, King Abdullah has absolute power to choose all the ministers and prime minister.

The Jordanian monarch termed the change part of a “comprehensive democratic transformation” and “political reform.”

Jordan has witnessed months of demonstrations calling for King Abdullah to limit his powers, give more authority to the elected members of the parliament, and implement economic and political reforms necessary for a modern democratic state.

With the new move, the king is trying to quiet down protesters by giving lawmakers more say in the affairs of the state.