01/31/2022
Parliament has passed thirty constitutional amendments that increase the king’s power. Among them are the creation of a National Security Council that will meet on the king’s invitation, expand the king’s “exclusive powers” to appoint and dismiss the chief justice, head of the Sharia Judicial Council, and other court officials. In addition, the king has adopted recommendations from the Royal Committee to Modernise the Political System (RCMPS) – a 92-member committee King Abdullah entrusted with developing political reforms to bring the kingdom into “a new and critical phase,” that encourage and strengthen political parties. Currently, most of parliament is based on tribal or familial background.