By Raed Omari
AMMAN – MPs on Monday had mixed reactions vis-à-vis the proposed elections law.
Some described it as a step in the right direction, while others argued that the law does not suit the social makeup of Jordan.
The changes were proposed by the National Dialogue Committee, which wrapped up its work recently.
Deputy Jamil Nimri (Irbid, 2nd District) said that except for the provision designing seats for the proportional list at national level, the proposed elections law is modern, progressive and can contribute to boosting the democratic process and meeting the ambitions of political elites in the Kingdom.
“Allocating seats in the Lower House for a proportional list at the national level and then distributing the seats among the Kingdom’s electoral districts is somehow a non-applicable and disturbing formula,” Nimri, who was a member of the national dialogue panel, said, adding that “when it comes to democracy and serving national causes, geography should not be considered”.
However, he said the proposed law cannot be viewed as lacking value based on this provision only, adding that in the absence of strong political groupings with well-defined agendas, the law can serve the reform process and give rise to the formation of political parties.
“Because the proposed elections law adopts the party list system, it allows the formation of national coalitions that will pave the way to establishing political parties,” Nimri told The Jordan Times over the phone yesterday.