Jordanian MPs approve sweeping powers for the king

Jordan's parliament passed a controversial constitutional amendment Wednesday granting King Abdullah II the power to appoint or dismiss senior officials without consulting the government.

A paragraph added to Article 40 of the constitution, passed by 123 votes in the 142-seat parliament, allows the king to choose his successor, the judiciary's chief and the head of the constitutional council.

The king, who is commander-in-chief, also has the final say on top posts in the army, the intelligence services and the national guard.

The monarch has previously exercised the same executive prerogatives but by passing through the government, although his appointments have rarely been vetoed.

Abdelmonem Aoudat, head of parliament's judicial commitment, said in effect the amendment did not grant "new" powers to the king.

However, the king's sweeping powers are now enshrined into law, a move that is seen as a step back for democracy in the kingdom.

The news has also dashed hopes that rule by Abdullah - seen as a relatively outward-looking and progressive monarch - would usher in greater constitutional powers for parliament.

"The amendments are a step by the royal palace to establish a legal basis for the great powers the king has over judicial, executive and legislative [matters]," said Jordanian journalist and activist Nabeel Ibrahim, who used a false surname to protect his identity.

"It carries an important message after the Arab revolutions failed to reach the establishment of full democratic system. There is a general sense in Jordan that the system is exploiting the failure of Syrian rebels to extend their grip on the country, as well as tie-in with the current restrictions to the Muslim Brotherhood."

Jordan has clamped down on the Islamist organisation in recent years, after it once enjoyed close relations with the monarchy. The move followed the collapse of the Muslim Brotherhood movement in its spiritual home, Egypt.

Meanwhile, the spread of extremist groups in Syria, and rising nationalist sentiments in Jordan, have created a backlash against political Islam, particularly among the East Bank community.

Jordan has made other constitutional changes in recent years.

In 2014, an amendment to the country's law sparked controversy after it granted the king authority to appoint or dismiss army and intelligence chiefs. These powers had previously been the responsibility of the prime minister or the most relevant minister.