After less than 8 months of Adnan Badran’s goverment being formed…

Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit and his 23-member Cabinet — mandated with political and socio-economic reform as well as a tougher anti-terror fight — were sworn-in Sunday before His Majesty King Abdullah.

Also Sunday, a Royal Decree summoned Parliament to convene in an ordinary session on Thursday, December 1st.

The two events set the stage for long-awaited action by the executive and legislature on advancing the country’s democratic process and energising its economy.

The new government, as constitutionally stipulated, will first have to seek a vote of confidence by the 110-member Parliament, which has been on a summer recess.

The Cabinet, a mixture of technocrats and politicians, includes nine ministers who served in the former Cabinet of Adnan Badran, four public figures who previously held ministerial posts and 10 newcomers representing public and private sector as well as the civil service.

Key appointments indicate that the government’s list of priorities entail overhauling the public sector and pushing forth with the country’s National Agenda, that is to set the course for the Kingdom for the next 10 years.

It is also seen as one that will protect the country from terror attacks, in the wake of the November 9 triple bombings that rocked Amman and killed 60 people.

“The evil terrorist attacks on our beloved capital Amman will increase our determination to move forward in our preemptive war against terrorism and the culture of apostasy,” Bakhit, 58, said in a letter to the King following the swearing-in ceremony.

Source: JordanTimes