Amman- Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday issued a decree
approving a major reshuffle of Prime Minister Nader Dahabi's cabinet
which was formed 15 months ago, according to a royal court statement.
The cabinet change was designed to ensure the ministerial group
had more coherence and enable it to cope with new economic and
political challenges that emerged recently as a result of the global
financial crisis and the election of what is widely perceived in the
Arab world as an extremist right-wing government in Israel, the
statement said.
The reshuffle involved 15 portfolios with 10 new ministers joining
the cabinet while five ministers in the government were switched to
other ministries.
Among those leaving the government were Foreign Minister Salah
Bashir, Interior Minister Eid al-Fayez and Finance Minister Hamad
Kasasbeh.
The foreign affairs portfolio was assigned to Nasser Judeh, who
was Minister of State for Information Affairs and Communication in
Dahabi's cabinet.
Nayef Qadai was appointed Interior Minister, the same post he
performed a decade ago.
Bassem al-Salem, who was labour minister in the government, became
finance minister.
The editor-in-chief of al-Dustour daily newspaper, Nabil Sharif,
was appointed Minister of State for Information Affairs and
Communication. He will also serve as the government's official
spokesman.
Left-leaning Mussa Maaitah was appointed Minister for Political
Development, a move indicating that the government was bent on
pushing through political reforms, including drafting a new election
law.
However, the country's largest political party, the Islamic Action
Front (IAF), has called for the total departure of Dahabi's cabinet
saying it had failed to achieve the purported objectives, including
the establishment of dialogue with Islamists and other opposition
groupings.
Ministers are usually chosen in Jordan by the king or the prime
minister on the basis of professional capabilities and regional,
personal or tribal affiliations due to the absence of a political
party or a coalition of parties with a majority in the lower house of
parliament.
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