Jordan king dissolves parliament, calls election

Jordan's King Abdullah dissolved parliament and called for early elections, state television reported on Monday. The king issued a royal edict ordering the dissolution of what is widely considered a rubber stamp assembly, composed of 110 mainly tribal pro-government loyalists, as of Tuesday, it said.
Parliament had completed half of its four-year term after elections held in November 2007 under a controversial electoral law that reduced the representation of the main cities in favour of rural and Bedouin areas. No reasons were given for the sudden move. Some people in political circles had speculated the palace was considering it for several months after the assembly lost credibility during a year in which opponents said it was inept in handling legislation. Constitutionally, most powers rest with the king, who appoints governments and approves legislation.