AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Monday submitted the resignation of his government to His Majesty King Abdullah, a Royal Court statement said.

 

The King entrusted Omar Razzaz, former education minister, to form a new government, the statement added.

 

 

 

Razzaz was the director general of the Social Security Corporation from 2006-2010. He also was chairman of the Jordan Strategy Forum, chairman of the board of trustees of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development, director of the World Bank office in Lebanon and held several other senior positions.

 

The government's resignation follows nationwide protests against the income tax draft law, which seeks to increase the number of income tax payers from 5 per cent to 10 per cent.

 

The bill mainly focuses on three aspects: improving tax collection, curbing tax evasion and boosting tax revenues, which are expected to increase by JD300 million annually.