Amman: Jordan`s King has inaugurated the kingdom`s newly elected Parliament with a pledge to press ahead with democratisation, but added that he will help choose the next prime minister despite the choice having been formally given to the legislature.
Abdullah II`s speech was delivered today to lawmakers elected last month. Government officials say that this legislature will have more power than any of its predecessors, in line with a reform process meant to forestall any large-scale Arab Spring unrest.
But the January 23 polls were boycotted by the best organized opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and yielded a body dominated by inexperienced independents.
An official said that the king wanted to avoid "political chaos." He spoke anonymously as he couldn`t comment publicly on a matter considered a royal prerogative.
PTI
