On the eve of a protest expected in Amman Friday, October 5, Jordan’s king has dissolved the country’s parliament and called for early elections close to the new year, CNN reported. This isn’t the first time King Abdullah II has responded pre-emptively to a possible Arab Spring-inspired demonstration in the country. But it could foreshadow the seriousness of the rally, which is likely to echo the push for democratic reforms that have swept North Africa and the Middle East. In nearly two years, King Abdullah has fired four prime ministers. On Thursday, government spokesman Samih al-Maitah framed the king’s latest decision as a move he was planning as a part of his promised reforms. Parliamentary elections will be held, at the latest, early next year and will be overseen by an independent commission, the spokesman added.