By Iraatus
The new political reform “road map” being prepared by Political Development minister, Mousa Ma’aytah, has one huge fallacy as if the minister, who is a staunch supporter of political parties’ rights in Jordan, finally succumbed to the pressures of being part of the same government he opposed. The fundamental error in the road map is the prominence given to the institution of the monarchy:
“آن الاوان لاعتماد (خارطة طريق) لاصلاح سياسي آمن ومتدرج يأخذ بعين الاعتبار أسس الالتزام بالثوابت الوطنية الاساسية وعدم المساس بها وهي مؤسسة العرش والدستور والاردن وطن لجميع أبنائه”
[Time has arrived for the adoption of a secure and gradual (road map) of political reform, taking into account the foundational commitment to the basic national principles and not compromising the institution of the throne, the Constitution, and Jordan as a home to all its citizens.] source
Due to the role played by the monarchy, and the royal family for that matter, and taking into account the history of limiting political freedoms and the taboo that is “political party membership” amongst youths, expecting this reform to take on solid steps and wide participation is impractical.
As long as the king is the Executive Power, little is possible in way of changing the perception of political parties to those most in need of having a say heard.
It’s well known that Jordanian universities’ students are more politically vocal than most other age/demographic groups in the country. However, having to concentrate their indignation at those in the cabinet and the parliament has little to do with concrete political reform. Basically, political reform has a much better chance at succeeding, however gradual, if no person/institution is above criticism.
When law is legislated with the monarchy in mind, the law doesn’t have peoples’ interests as its top priority. When judges hand out convictions and sentences while having the government in mind, little credibility is given to the judicial system. In addition, when the government tells citizens to go ahead and join political parties because it’s encouraged and healthy, their response is: “yeah, right!”
