Jordan king appoints aide as PM

Oman, 10 Dec-(ANA)-Jordan's King Abdullah has asked a former palace aide to become the country's prime minister, following a snap dissolution of parliament.

Samir al-Rifai will form a new cabinet in order to push through reforms that the king says are vital for Jordan's economy before elections due next year.

In November King Abdullah dissolved the country's parliament halfway through its four-year term. No reason was given in the royal edict dissolving the parliament at the time.

But the former cabinet recently failed to get approval for changes to the election law that would have further reduced the influence in parliament of the opposition Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mr Rifai, 43, is a politician turned businessman and himself the son of a former Jordanian prime minister.

His father Zaid al-Rufai currently heads Jordan's appointed upper house, the senate.

The king reportedly wants to speed up political and economic reforms that would see the power of the parliament reduced. (ANA)

FA/ANA/10 December 2009---