Jordan’s King Abdullah asked former air force chief Nader Dhabi to form a cabinet and accelerate reforms, officials said on Thursday, following a vote that consolidated power for pro-government and tribal leaders.

The monarch accepted the resignation of Marouf al-Bakheet, a former national security advisor, whose government had stepped up a crackdown on Islamist militants since taking power in 2005.

Dhabi, a former transport minister, was expected to form a cabinet on Sunday comprising pro-Western reformists and conservatives who have held sway in previous governments, with the specific task of boosting the economy, officials said.

“His mandate after parliamentary elections is to focus on the economy, improving living standards and generating investments, and a better overall management the government,” said an official, who wished not to be named.
Officials said the new government under Dhabi, whose brother Major General Mohammad Dhabi is head of the country’s intelligence apparatus, was expected to maintain Jordan’s traditional support for US policies in the region.

On Tuesday, opposition Islamists lost more than half of their seats in the 110-member parliament in an election they said was marred by vote-buying and fraud.

They had called for sweeping political reforms, including an elected government not appointed by the King and changes in an electoral law that favours tribal constituencies over cities, which are their main strongholds.
They said Tuesday’s elections were rigged to further weaken their influence.

Constitutionally, most powers rest with the king, who appoints governments, approves legislation and can dissolve parliament.

Bakheet, who came up through the ranks of military intelligence, had stepped up a crackdown to curb the growing influence of mainstream Islamists, by introducing curbs on freedom of expression, including a tougher anti-terror law.