Succession to the Jordanian throne

Summary

Line of succession to the Jordanian throne is the line of people who are eligible to succeed to the throne of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The succession is regulated by Article 28 of the Constitution of Jordan.

Royal Standard of the Crown Prince

Succession rules edit

At the moment, the throne passes according to agnatic primogeniture, which can be changed by decree. Thus, only male descendants of Abdullah I of Jordan, born to Muslim parents can succeed to the Jordanian Throne.

The King has the right to appoint one of his brothers as heir apparent. If the king dies without son or appointed brother, the throne devolves upon the person whom the National Assembly selects from amongst the descendants of Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz, the founder of the Arab Revolt.

A person can be barred from succession by Royal Decree on the ground of unsuitability. His descendants would not be automatically excluded.

Line of succession edit

List of heirs presumptive and heirs apparent throughout history edit

Heir apparent to Abdullah I edit

Heir apparent to Talal edit

Heirs presumptive and heirs apparent to Hussein edit

King Hussein's brother, Prince Muhammad, was the heir presumptive to the throne until the birth of Hussein's eldest son, Abdullah. Abdullah was his father's heir apparent from his birth in 1962 until 1965, when King Hussein decided to appoint his 18-year-old brother Hassan as heir apparent because of the unstable times in the 1960s.[1]

Shortly after his marriage to Queen Noor, King Hussein instructed his brother to appoint Prince Ali (Hussein's eldest son from his marriage to Queen Alia) as his heir apparent. However, by 1992, Hussein changed his mind. Besides his own sons, the King seriously regarded his nephew, Prince Talal bin Muhammad, as his possible heir. Finally, on 25 January 1999, shortly before his death, Hussein proclaimed Abdullah his heir apparent again and was succeeded by him on his death.[2]

Heirs apparent to Abdullah II edit

  • 1999—2004: Hamzah bin Hussein, the third brother of Abdullah II (by decree)
  • 2004—present: Hussein bin Abdullah, the eldest son of Abdullah II (2004–09 by Constitution; 2009–present by decree and Constitution)

References edit

  • The King and His Prerogatives: Article 2008
  1. ^ Robins, 193.
  2. ^ Robins, 196.
  • Robins, Philip: A History of Jordan Cambridge University Press 2004 ISBN 0-521-59895-8