Jordan heads into elections by fall as parliament dissolved

AMMAN, Jordan – Jordan is heading into parliamentary elections by September, after King Abdullah II dissolved the current legislature.

The monarch also appointed a new prime minister, Hani Mulki, who will oversee preparations for new elections.

Political analyst Bassam Badareen said Monday that the appointment of Mulki, a prominent economist, signals that "the king wants to see a government that puts the economy as a first priority."

Jordan's monarch dissolved parliament on Sunday, paving the way for new elections within four months, as required by the constitution. He also appointed Mulki in place of Abdullah Ensour, who resigned after more than three years as prime minister.

Jordan's economy has been struggling, in part because a large refugee influx in recent years and the fallout from conflicts in neighboring Syria and Iraq.