How the State Is Organised

The constitution and the monarchy

The Constitution of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was adopted in 1952 and has been amended a number of times since then. It defines the form of the state, the powers of its institutions and the rights and duties of citizens. Under the constitution, Jordan is a hereditary monarchy, and the throne passes within the Hashemite royal family.

The King is the head of state. The constitution gives the King a number of roles, including appointing the Prime Minister, approving laws and serving as supreme commander of the armed forces. The reigning monarch is King Abdullah II, who has been on the throne since 1999. The constitution also provides for a Crown Prince as heir to the throne.

The executive: the Council of Ministers

Executive authority is exercised through the Council of Ministers, which is headed by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the ministers are appointed by royal decree. Each minister leads a ministry responsible for a particular field, such as education, health, tourism, transport or water. The Council of Ministers manages the day-to-day affairs of the state and prepares draft laws and the national budget.

Under the constitution, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible before the House of Representatives, and each minister is also responsible for the work of his or her own ministry. Government departments and public agencies carry out policy across the country, and many services, such as education, health and civil registration, are delivered through regional offices in each governorate.

The legislature: the National Assembly

Legislative authority is held by Parliament, known in Arabic as Majlis al-Umma, or the National Assembly, together with the King. Parliament has two chambers. The Senate, called Majlis al-A'yan, is the upper chamber, and its members are appointed by the King. The House of Representatives, called Majlis al-Nuwwab, is the lower chamber, and its members are elected by citizens in general elections.

Draft laws are discussed and voted on by both chambers before they are submitted for royal approval. Parliament also reviews and approves the general state budget, and members of the House may put questions to ministers. Each chamber has its own speaker and permanent committees. The constitution sets the number of senators at no more than half the number of representatives.

The judiciary

The constitution establishes the judiciary as an independent authority. Courts are organised into three main types. Regular, or civil, courts handle civil and criminal cases and include courts of first instance, courts of appeal and the Court of Cassation, which is the highest court in this system. Administrative courts review decisions taken by public bodies.

Religious courts deal with matters of personal status, such as marriage, divorce and inheritance. For Muslims, these are the Sharia courts; for recognised Christian communities, they are the councils of the respective churches. Special courts are created by law for specific fields. Since 2012, a Constitutional Court has examined whether laws and regulations are consistent with the constitution and interprets its provisions.

Local administration

For administrative purposes, Jordan is divided into 12 governorates, called muhafazat in Arabic. Each governorate is headed by a governor appointed by the government, and is further divided into districts, called alwiya, and sub-districts. The governorates are Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, Balqa, Mafraq, Jerash, Ajloun, Madaba, Karak, Tafilah, Ma'an and Aqaba.

Cities and towns have municipal councils that look after local services such as streets, markets, parks and building permits. The capital is administered by the Greater Amman Municipality. In the south, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority manages the city of Aqaba and its surrounding area, including the Wadi Rum Protected Area.