Harvard-educated technocrat named Jordan PM after government resigns

Jordan’s King Abdullah II appointed Jafar Hassan, a US-educated technocrat and a palace aide, as the country’s prime minister Sunday.

His appointment came after the government resigned following Sept. 10’s parliamentary polls, which saw an offshoot of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood make significant electoral gains.

“Public service is a great honor and responsibility, which we will carry on with all our capability to serve Jordan and Jordanians,” Hassan posted on social media.

Hassan faces the immediate challenge of salvaging Jordan’s economy, which has suffered since Israel’s war inGaza began last year, Reuters wrote. Of particular concern in the resource-poor country is tourism, which has plummeted since the Oct. 7 attacks, and dwindling foreign investment. Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood offshoot is highly critical of the war, and its success at the polls may reflect a growing public opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza.