Draft law raises hopes for political liberalisation

Local opposition figures are hoping that a draft law governing the formation of political parties will be passed by parliament next month, ushering in a new era of political liberalisation. "The new law includes a provision that refers to political parties assuming legislative power and forming future governments if they have a majority in parliament," said Ahmed Yousef, secretary general of the opposition Jordanian People's Democratic Party (Hashd). "This is a major step forward." Currently, King Abdullah II enjoys absolute power to appoint governments, approve legislation and dissolve parliament. Minister of Political Development Sabri Rubaihat said this week that a government committee, along with representatives from 15 opposition parties, had reached broad consensus on the draft’s main provisions. "We’ll submit the law [to parliament] soon after reaching full national consensus on the final draft," he said. Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakheet said the draft would be submitted for approval before the current parliamentary session ends on 30 March. Opposition leaders have welcomed a provision in the current draft that removes the power to license new parties from the interior ministry. Under the proposed legislation, an independent body – including members of the judiciary and the ministers of justice and political development – would take over the task of granting party licences. Nevertheless, criticism has been levelled at provisions that set down tough penalties for offences such as engaging in party activism within government institutions and the use of foreign funding. The draft still penalises parties for obtaining monies from outside Jordan, which the government claims allows parties to fall under foreign influence, including that of terrorists. In 1992, Jordan lifted the legal ban on the formation of political parties, although most would-be parties were prevented from capitalising on the new freedoms due to restrictions on campaigning and financing, as well as a minimum membership requirement of 100 people. The current draft law, say analysts, eases these restrictions without eliminating them. The opposition has long accused the government of using the current law to prevent the emergence of powerful opposition parties. Only the mainstream Islamist opposition, along with pro-government parties, are able to operate effectively, according to analysts such as the International Crisis Group (ICG). "Many parties are one-man shops and many factors have blocked political parties from being viable or representative with a national agenda except the Islamists," said ICG Middle East Project Director Joost Hiltermann. Analysts note that intimidation by the intelligence apparatus has also served as an obstacle to joining opposition parties. In a separate development, on 26 February, Prime Minister al-Bakheet pledged in parliament to submit a draft law on municipal elections by the end of the coming session, providing for an unprecedented 20 percent quota for women.