Jordan: Street protests against austerity measures continue

By Nathan Morley

King Abdullah II says he wants a review of a draft income tax law, after days of protests against new austerity measures which led to the resignation of the prime minister.

Several thousand protesters gathered in Amman soon after premier Hani Mulki stepped down.

When Amman secured a $723m three-year credit line from the International Monetary Fund in 2016, price hikes on consumer products quickly followed, along with other unpopular economic measures.

Now the public have become weary of paying higher prices for groceries, as well as increased taxes on some basic goods.

IMF-backed austerity measures have caused outrage across the tiny country, with protestors turning out in force.

The  new proposed income tax draft law aims at increasing taxes on employees by at least 5% and on companies by between 20% and 40%.