AMMAN (JT) – His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday outlined the vision for Jordan’s political reform, which culminates in the formation of governments on the basis of parliamentary majority and political party manifestos.
In his address to the nation yesterday, the King highlighted the importance of national unity, stressing that all Jordanians are equal, favoured over each other only in their dedication to their country.
His Majesty also said he would direct the government to issue a new municipalities law to ensure municipal elections that produce a greater representation of local communities, forming a key ingredient for implementing decentralisation in the Kingdom.
In his speech, which crowned an array of festivities and functions to mark the anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt, Army Day and Coronation Day, the Monarch stressed the importance of abolishing all forms of discrimination against women in the legislative system.
King Abdullah also said that national consensus, autonomous of any imposed monopoly, is the way to enhance reform as long as all Jordanians agree on its substance.
The King called for a political future with a “firmly established parliamentary monarchy, based on the separation of powers that shall be accountable to the nation”, referring to the recommendations of the National Dialogue Committee on the elections and political parties laws as the guide for that future.
“The law should guarantee the fairness and transparency of the electoral process through a mechanism that will lead to a Parliament with active political party representation, one that allows the formation of governments based on parliamentary majority and political party manifestos in the future,” His Majesty said (see full text of the speech).
Categories: Asia, Jordan, Middle East
Definitely a step in the right direction.
a date of implementation would have been nice. The lack of such a date sort of ensures that demonstrations need to continue.