By Hani Hazaimeh JORDAN TIMES

AMMAN – Political party leaders on Tuesday expressed pessimism about the new government’s ability to make substantial progress in the reform process, reiterating that actions, not words, will restore public trust in the government.

Opposition figures reiterated their persistent demands, expressed in the slogans they have raised in their months-long demonstrations, for an elected government and serious anti-corruption measures. They also called for new constitutional amendments stating that the people are the source of all authority.

“The new government did not bring any substantial change in the mechanism by which governments are formed. The government of Marouf Bakhit was asked to resign for its failure to respond to popular demands. This government is expected to meet the same fate,” Zaki Bani Rsheid, head of the Islamic Action Front (IAF) politburo, told The Jordan Times yesterday.

The IAF leader said that the Islamist movement, during its meeting with Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh last week, explained its vision of the desired reform and declined to take part in the government until it proves its willingness and ability to implement that vision.

“Our main demand is a mechanism of forming governments in which the prime minister is from the parliamentary majority,” Bani Rsheid said, adding that the Muslim Brotherhood, of which the IAF is the political arm, has also called for the prime minister to be fully in charge of setting policies and making decisions.

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