Political reforms will continue, leading to parliamentary governments
Written by Jpolitics Sunday, 12 August 2012 09:24
AMMAN — Once more King Abdullah elucidates his vision for the ongoing political reforms and their end goal: better representation of the Jordanian people leading to parliamentary governments.
In his unprecedented hour-long interview with a key US television station, the King clearly set the roadmap for the country’s political reforms and left no questions unanswered, politicians and analysts agreed.
In the wide-ranging interview with CBS This Morning’s Charlie Rose, also broadcast by PBS and Bloomberg networks Wednesday, analysts said the King provided broad vision and voiced determination to see change on the country’s political scene, while inviting all political, social and economic components of society to be part of the process and not to miss the opportunity at hand.
MP Mamdouh Abbadi said His Majesty left the door open for more changes, leaving the mission in the hands of the coming Parliament, expected to be elected in December.
Citing the King in the comprehensive interview, which also tackled Syrian and Palestinian developments, Abbadi said a lot has been achieved on the reform front: the Municipalities Law, the Political Parties Law, the Constitutional Court Law, ending with the Elections Law which was endorsed recently.
“This legislative package represents solid ground needed to move on with the reform plans; and before the end of the year, we will see a new Parliament in place where its members will be elected in a fair, free and democratic process.”
This election is part of a wider three-pronged process that has started first with laying the groundwork comprising proper legislation to facilitate reform, moving to the second, which is electing a new Parliament that can take the lead in sustaining the reform process, which will lead the country to the third phase, which is forming governments from parliamentary majorities.
Thus for any political group to abstain from the process will get it nowhere, Abbadi said, commenting on the Muslim Brotherhood’s decision to boycott the polls later this year.
“Boycotting the elections, any elections, will get us nowhere and boycotters are the biggest losers,” said the veteran politician.
“Politics is all about participation. You can oppose or support from within the state’s constitutional institutions,” he said.