Jordanian King Dissolves Parliament before October Elections

JERUSALEM, Israel – Jordanian King Abdullah II issued a royal decree dissolving the parliament as it ended its four-year term in preparation for new elections in October.

After accepting the resignation of Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, King Abdullah appointed seasoned politician Hani Mulki as interim prime minister, tasking him with organizing the upcoming elections. Mulki, thought of by some analysts as pro-Israel, will also attempt to advance direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

At the height of the "Arab spring" several years ago, the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood organized massive demonstrations aimed at bringing down the government as its Egyptian counterpart managed to do in the short term, ending the 31-year reign of Hosni Mubarak and electing senior Muslim Brotherhood official Mohammed Morsi. Morsi and his government's attempt to impose fundamentalist Islam on the country ended in massive public demonstrations, totaling more than 30 million participants, calling for his ouster.

When new elections were held, the Egyptian populace voted overwhelmingly for retired military chief Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to replace Morsi.

King Abdullah has managed to tamp down the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan by imposing legal restrictions.