Parliamentary elections to be held before yearend

His Majesty King Abdullah II on Monday said that parliamentary elections will be held before the end of this year, stressing that Jordan is moving ahead to bring about comprehensive reform without hesitation. During a meeting with the speaker of the Lower House of the Parliament, members of the Permanent Bureau, heads of committees and parliamentary blocs, the King said: ”It should be clear that we are determined to press ahead with political reform, and we are working seriously to hold parliamentary elections before the end of this year”. His Majesty also urged the parliament to cooperate with the government to speed up the completion of the laws of the parties, elections, and the Constitutional Court, so as to pave the way for holding transparent and fair elections. The next phase is an opportunity for progress in political reform, the King said, adding: “We should not be afraid of taking ‘strong’ positions in this direction.” His Majesty also noted the formation of the Independent Electoral Commission and other legislative steps taken to realize comprehensive reform. On Jordan’s economic situation, the King said that we face difficult economic challenges, calling for collective cooperation to face such problems.