(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The Jordanian government on Sunday survived a no-confidence vote in the parliament amid street protests against recent hikes in prices and taxes.
Sixty-seven lawmakers voted in favour of the government against 49 with four abstentions, Jordan's official news agency Petra reported.
The vote was in response to a no-confidence motion tabled by the Islamist al-Islah parliamentary bloc, which accused the government of incompetence, according to the agency.
In recent weeks, Jordan has seen a series of protests against rises in prices for some goods and taxes, which the government said were necessary to curb the kingdom's budget deficit.
The austerity measures, announced in January, included lifting the bread subsidy.
Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki has defended the steps, saying they are aimed at protecting the country from bankruptcy.
The economy of Jordan, a country of 10 million that depends largely on aid, has been affected by an influx of refugees in recent years due to neighbouring conflicts, as unemployment reached 18.5 per cent.
In 2016, Jordan secured a three-year loan, amounting to 723 million dollars, from the International Monetary Fund, with the aim of lowering the country's public debt.
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