Ammon News - AMMAN - A Jordanian government dominated by conservatives under new Prime Minister Samir Rifai was due to be sworn in within 48 hours, charged with speeding up reforms before 2010 parliamentary elections, officials said on Sunday. 


Rifai, a 43-year-old former palace aide and son of elder statesman Zaid al-Rifai, was asked by King Abdullah on Wednesday to take over from Nader Dahabi, who quit having led a much-criticised government for two years.

Liberal reformers have lost ground since last year's resignation of former chief of court Bassem Awadallah, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, who faced unprecedented attacks by a conservative establishment accusing him of a pro-Western reform agenda that ignored tribal sensitivities. 


Officials said the cabinet was expected largely to comprise conservative politicians, tribal figures and technocrats who have held sway in previous governments.


Tribal figures the traditional backbone of the monarch's support are pushing for a bigger economic role for the state that reverses free market policies they fear would hand their countrymen of Palestinian origin a bigger political role.


Jordanians of Palestinian origin, a majority of the country's six million citizens, are mostly excluded from the army, police and intelligence but are pillars of the business community.


Liberal politicians say the king wants to push ahead reforms despite stiff opposition from a traditional establishment bent on preserving a broad patronage system and worried about his drive to modernise a tribally structured society.


The new government comes after an abrupt move by the monarch last month to end parliament's life in mid-term.

It was accused of inept handling of legislation and obstructing free market reforms crucial to spur the stagnant economy.


Most powers rest with king, who appoints governments, approves legislation and can dissolve parliament.

Politicians say the monarch's moves herald a wider shake-up to ward off popular disenchantment over economic contraction after years of growth, and allegations of official graft.


Palace officials said the king, a U.S. ally, had told Rifai to improve governance and push for genuine political reforms ahead of multi-party polls scheduled at the end of 2010.


The monarch also told Rifai to push faster IMF-guided reforms to modernise laws that make the kingdom more attractive to foreign investors, they added.


Jordan faces a contracting economy after several years of robust growth. The boom was supported by strong foreign direct investments, including remittances from a large skilled work force in the Gulf Arab region.

(Reuters/ By Suleiman al-Khalidi)