A Royal Decree was issued on Tuesday endorsing a Cabinet decision to postpone parliamentary elections, pending the completion of the decentralisation plan, which will include legislation to govern the elections of local councils.

The government's decision was made during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, during which the Council of Ministers decided to put off the Lower House elections. An official statement to the media following the meeting said that the postponement was necessary because "it would be difficult to conduct the elections in a transparent and fair manner with utmost integrity as desired by His Majesty King Abdullah.”

His Royal Highness Prince Feisal, the Regent, signed the Royal Decree.

Article 73 of the Constitution stipulates that if the Lower House is dissolved, elections must be held and a new Chamber seated within four months, but grants the King the authority to postpone elections "if a force majeure has occurred which the Council of Ministers considers as rendering the holding of elections impossible".