Jordan’s king names new PM as protests continue

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has appointed cabinet member Omar Razzaz, a leading reformer and former senior World Bank official, as the country’s new prime minister.

The royal court announced the appointment on Tuesday.

Razzaz will replace Hani Mulki, who resigned Monday amid widening protests over the government’s austerity measures, including a planned tax increase.

Razzaz served as education minister in the outgoing Mulki government. The king has the final say on all policy issues, and it’s not clear how much of a reform mandate Razzaz will receive.

Despite Mulki’s resignation, daily street protests continued, with organizers saying they would not quit until the tax bill has been scrapped.

Several thousand Jordanians marched toward the office of the outgoing prime minister overnight and into early Tuesday over the tax increases, which critics say mostly target the poor and the middle class.

Riot police scuffled with some of the marchers, trying to keep them away from the building, but the fifth street protest in as many days was largely peaceful.

Mulki resigned on Monday as Jordan’s King Abdullah II tried to get a handle on the biggest protests in the kingdom in several years.

The monarch, who has the ultimate say on policy decisions, promised change, but gave no specifics on possible reforms.