Jordan's prime minister quits suddenly
Source: The Guardian
Jordan's efforts to maintain stability in the face of the turbulence of the Arab spring suffered a new blow today when the prime minister resigned – the third time this has happened in the last 18 months.
Awn Khasawneh submitted his resignation without warning after six months in office following a backlash against proposed electoral reforms in the western-backed kingdom that were seen by critics as an assault on civil liberties. A statement from the royal palace said the resignation had been accepted, without elaboration.
His replacement is Fayez al-Tarawneh, who was prime minister in the late 1990s. Jordanian responses to the news suggested it would not be seen as a significant change.
In his public appearances, King Abdullah has acknowledged pressure for reform in the spirit of protests across the Middle East and North Africa but he has been widely criticised for failing to set a timetable to allow the formation of governments based on a parliamentary majority.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/26/jordan-prime-minister-awn-khasawneh-resigns