Jordan - Election 2010
King Abdullah dissolved parliament on November 24, 2009, halfway through its four-year term, setting political rights back in 2010. The government ruled by decree through most of 2010, pending new elections. Jordan's General Intelligence Department (GID) continued to influence decisions in most aspects of Jordanian public life, including academic freedom, government appointments, and the issuing of residency permits to non-Jordanians and "good conduct" certificates required for Jordanians seeking work abroad.
Jordan ranked first and Saudi Arabia last in a new report card on the state of democratic reforms in the Arab world. The Arab Democracy Index was released 29 March 2010 in Paris. Published by the The Arab Reform Initiative, or ARI, a network of 14 Arab and international think-tanks, this is only the second report card on the levels of reforms and democracy in the Arab world. None of the 10 Arab countries ranked in the new Arab Democracy Index get high marks. Jordan is ranked first, with a score of 620 out of a possible 1,000 points. Curiously, Jordan does a much better job enshrining democracy through practice than in laws.
The electoral law led to significant underrepresentation in urban areas. Amman's second district has more than 200,000 constituents and was granted four representatives, but Karak's sixth district has approximately 7,000 constituents and was granted three representatives. Many analysts asserted that the current electoral system is unfair and creates a weak, unrepresentative parliament that is intended to reduce the representation of areas heavily populated by citizens of Palestinian origin in favor of tribal interests. The law allows voters to choose one candidate in multiple-seat districts. In the largely tribal society, citizens tended to cast their vote for members of the same tribe.
On July 30, 2010 Jordan's largest opposition group said it would boycott the country's November parliamentary elections. The decision dealt a blow to polls the government hailed as a cornerstone of political reforms. The powerful Muslim Brotherhood Movement based its decision on the fallout from a new electoral law, which it said will undercut the group's robust showing in past elections. The new legislation reduced seats for lawmakers elected from urban areas, where the Brotherhood is popular. It increased seats from rural regions, dominated by pro-government Bedouin tribes. The boycott by the country's largest opposition group left it without a voice in parliament.
More than 700 candidates ran for 120 seats in the lower house of parliament in the 09 November 2010 election that most observers said was devoid of any real opposition. Most of the candidates come from tribes or parties loyal to King Abdullah, after Jordan's largest opposition group decided to boycott the vote. The opposition Islamic Action Front says new election rules unfairly diminish the value of votes from urban areas, where its support is strongest.
Every Friday since late 2010, small groups of protesters gathered across Jordan to air complaints about basic things like rising prices and high unemployment in the kingdom. Fearing a full-scale uprising similar to the one that has gripped neighboring Syria, King Abdullah II early on began promising fundamental reforms. But the protests have begun to escalate, and some analysts fear that if the king doesn’t deliver soon, Jordan’s “peaceful” Arab Spring could go from a simmer to full boil.
More than one thousand Islamists and leftist demonstrators rallied Sunday 15 January 2011 outside parliament in Amman to demand an end to what they call authoritarian rule in their country. Protesters called for the downfall of the government, pointing to Tunisia as an example. Muslim Brotherhood leader Hammam Said told the crowd that Jordanians have "suffered the same way Tunisians have been suffering." The Islamist leader called for an end to what he called "restrictions on freedom and the people's will." The rally followed nationwide protests Friday when thousands of people demanded the government back down on tough austerity measures, including higher taxes. Demonstrators also rallied against soaring prices and unemployment. The protests are took place despite the government's decision to slash prices for basic goods, including sugar, rice and several types of fuel.
On 18 January 2011 Jordan's powerful Islamist opposition demanded King Abdullah II dissolve the country's newly elected parliament and remove Prime Minister Samir Rifai's government, saying it has failed to implement needed political and economic reforms. Islamic Action Front leader Hamza Mansour Tuesday urged the dissolution of Jordan's lower house of parliament, saying elections held November 9 were marred by fraud. The IAF boycotted the polls after the government failed to adopt a new election law guaranteeing a more equitable distribution of seats that does not favor the king's rural supporters. Mansour also appealed to Abdullah to dismiss the Cabinet and allow an interim government to form "until a Cabinet elected by the people is in place." He did not elaborate on how the new government would be elected.
Protests turned violent in Jordan's capital Friday 18 February 2011 as government supporters clashed with demonstrators calling for political reforms. Witnesses say at least eight people were injured when the government supporters attacked the demonstrators with batons. Hundreds of people gathered in Amman for the pro-reform rally. The demonstrations follow weeks of similar street protests in Jordan that resemble the uprisings spreading through the Arab world. Jordanians are demanding constitutional reforms and limits on King Abdullah's authority.
King Abdullah dismissed his government on Tuesday February 01, 2011 following weeks of public protests for political change. Demonstrators blamed the government for rising fuel and food prices as well as slow political reforms. The protests were similar to those that led to last month's ouster of Tunisia's president. A palace statement said King Abdullah was tasking the new Cabinet with taking "practical and swift" steps to launch what it called "true political reforms." Jordan's prime minister-designate began consultations on forming a new government Wednesday, a day after being appointed by King Abdullah. Marouf al-Bakhit met with Senate President Taher Masri. Jordan's Petra news agency said the two men discussed a need for government reforms. The news agency said Mr. Bakhit pledged to enact reforms as soon as possible.
In October, 2011, Abdullah appointed former Hague Court judge Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh as prime minister of Jordan, replacing Marouf al-Bakhit who had earlier been accused of corruption. Al-Khasawneh was widely viewed as a “clean” politician. Al-Khasawneh didn’t deliver anything. From the first day, he was blaming other powers for interfering in his government, which was not true. Al-Khasawneh did not even travel to rural areas to visit his constituents, nor did he connect with the people in any other way. He didn’t meet with any politicians, political parties or the ‘New Popular Movement.’
Multiple cabinet and prime ministerial changes delayed needed legislative reform efforts. Additionally, Jordan was not immune from the dramatic events taking place in the Arab region, and 2011 witnessed numerous, although largely non-violent, demonstrations. These demonstrations were well managed by Jordan’s security forces, and the country remained politically stable.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
