Jordan to carry out Parliamentary elections in November

Jordan's King Abdullah II The Jordanian government denied any plans to postpone the parliamentary elections. It was announced to be held before the end of 2012, confirming that the government is preparing a draft law for the elections, to be ready in February or March.  
Jordan's King Abdullah II confirmed more than once that the Parliamentary elections will be carried out before the end of this year; however, the political circles read the Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh’s statement, in which he criticized the early elections, as it’s a declaration to postpone the elections.
Jordan’s State Minister for Media Affairs and Government Spokesman Rakan Al Majali said in a press statement after a meeting with the National Dialogue Committee that, the parliament will decide in the name of people on which system the government will adapt in the Parliamentary elections, after criticizing adapting 1989 electoral system.
“At the end the draft elections law will be sent to parliament, where lawmakers will definitely carry out intensive research and deliberation with political parties and political forces in society via its legal committee before it is endorsed,” he said, stressing that the government decisions are based on the constitution.
He added “we have already sent the elections independent commission draft law to the parliament and within a few days we will send a proposed municipality’s draft and the political parties draft will be ready in February.”
He also confirmed that the Parliamentary elections will be carried out before the end of this year, specifically in November.
On Friday, the PM Khasawneh held a meeting with the National Dialogue Committee, after the signs emerged that the government prefer the 1989 electoral system over the committee recommendations.
Khasawneh said the government is not obligated to implement the committee’s recommendations, arguing that the committee does not represent the whole society.
In another context Jordanian King Abdullah II held a meeting, Sunday, with former prime ministers who led the country’s governments consecutively since 1971.
At the meeting he stressed his support for a speedy reform process that takes into consideration the enactment of the necessary legislation and guarantees the integrity of the comprehensive reform process, according to the Jordanian News Agency Petra.
Unlike the official statement, the meeting included harsh criticisms to the king, especially by the former Prime Minister Ahmed Obeidat, who criticized the king’s registered land, and the military spending which became an obstacle to sustainable development, and a burden on the state budget of the State.
Obeidat said protests are continuing on the street because of a prevalent feeling among the public that the Lower House does not adequately represent the people, stressing that reforms must focus on separating the three authorities.
Obeidat noted that the regime’s legitimacy is undisputable. He also warned against tribal leanings that affect national unity and called for a better management of public spending.
The former Prime Ministers (Abdul-Raouf Rawabdeh, Ali Abu Ragheb, Nader Dahabi and Marouf Bakhit) also took turn in commenting on the current situation in Jordan and suggested solutions to address the various challenges, while Abdul Karim Kabariti was sharp in his criticism when he told to the King that “he doesn’t lead, and the feel of danger is the motive of this meeting”, adding that Jordan needs a reform revolution.
Kabariti also said that the 1991 National Charter could be used as a national unity law and called for reviving the National Agenda, a document that sets the country’s priorities for a decade, as an executive tool to implement the charter.
For his part, King Abdullah II pointed out that the work of governments is accumulative and each of the prime ministers present at the meeting had his contributions to the country’s achievement, noting that his meeting with them reflects his keenness to communicate with all components of Jordanian society, promising to stay in touch with them to get their views on the roadmap to reforms.
It’s worth mentioning that the meeting countiued for four hours, and the former Prime ministers Faisal Fayez and Mudar Badran didn’t attend.