Gov’t to ready elections bill early 2015 — PM

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour has said that the government has not discussed any draft of the new elections law, but will be ready with this key reform bill early next year, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He added in his remarks at a conference held Saturday in Amman by Al Quds Studies Centre, attended by leaders of major political parties and House blocs, that the Independent Elections Commission, whose mandate was expanded by a recent constitutional amendment, might be overseeing all kinds of elections, including public polls like the municipalities and those related to the decentralisation plan, and elections of a narrower nature like those of student unions, professional associations and chambers of commerce in case these entities seek the government’s help in conducting their polls.

Ensour also discussed the other major amendment to the Constitution, which is keeping the power to appoint, dismiss and accept the resignation of the army and intelligence chiefs in the hands of the King. He asserted that these officers will be reporting to the prime minister despite the change and the premier will be accountable for their performance before Parliament.

On the political parties draft law, which is waiting to be endorsed by lawmakers, the premier noted that the government has invited all stakeholders to give feedback on the bill, which will be followed by the new municipalities law and that of decentralisation, a new system that will ensure people in the various districts a more active role in deciding their development priorities, and leave the central legislature to handle political, economic, legislation and oversight tasks. 

The proposed law on political parties was the topic of discussion in a seminar organised by Petra on Saturday, in which Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Khaled Kalaldeh, lawmakers and intellectuals took part.

The participants agreed on the vitality of the law as a pillar of the reform drive and the need to engage all parties concerned in the ongoing debate over it, according to the agency. 

Ensour stressed that His Majesty King Abdullah’s plan is to have full-fledged parliamentary governments, where Parliament names the prime minister and lawmakers become Cabinet members.  He underlined a debate on the nature of the parliamentary government, whether it would be like the incumbent government, which was appointed with the approval of the House, or one that is directly handpicked by Parliament. 

Other speakers included the secretary general of the National Current Party, Saleh Irsheidat, who said the democratic transition Jordan is undergoing must lead to the recognition of political parties as a key pillar of the political and parliamentary life in Jordan, to enable those parties that make it to Parliament on the basis of their platforms to circulate power, while the parties that win minority seats form a shadow government.

Former secretary general of the Islamic Action Front Party, Hamzah Mansour, said that the political parties law should be “about freedoms not penalties”, demanding free and fair elections and an electoral system that ensures fair representation of all citizens.