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“Representatives” crises raise “concerns” about the future of political life

Amman Today

publish date 2022-01-05 14:18:40

Academic: The council failed to give a reassuring image to the followers and the people
– Parliamentary expert: The street feels the presence of pressure and official interventions, which could influence the positions of MPs regarding the amendments
Analyst: Lifting the guardianship of the Council has become a necessity for the development of the state, and the establishment of balanced relations between the three authorities

The Compass – The Parliament’s crises have raised popular concerns and fears over the future of political life in the country, prompted by the recent incident of a fight between a number of its members.

“A fight” raises doubts about the ability to pass constitutional articles and proposed laws, which would bring about remarkable changes that would fulfill the hopes of citizens.

And last Tuesday, the Jordanian parliament witnessed complete chaos, an exchange of insults and a fight between deputies, during the first session to discuss proposed constitutional amendments, which led to the adjournment of the session, and the postponement of the parliament’s convening for two consecutive times.

What the parliament witnessed sparked a wave of popular ridicule on social media, and at the time, the “House of Representatives” label topped the list of the most frequently discussed in the Kingdom, amid harsh criticism of what happened, as well as a wide spread of video clips of the fight incident in various local and international media.

The constitutional amendments discussed by Parliament are recommendations from a committee formed last June by royal order with the aim of “modernizing the political system,” and they number about 30 articles.

Among the most prominent proposed amendments, is the establishment of a special council for national security, the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives for one year instead of two years, and granting members of the Council the right to dismiss the speaker in the event of his inability to perform his duties.

Among the amendments that sparked controversy was the addition of the word “Jordanian women” to an article in the constitution. Representatives considered that the goal was “absolute equality” between men and women in everything, even inheritance, while the government considered the amendment’s goal to “honor Jordanian women.”

** The failure of the Council to reassure the people

Hussein Mahadin, Professor of Sociology of Politics at Mutah University (governmental), said: “In principle, we must distinguish between the legislative authority and its institutions as a cornerstone in the Jordanian constitution as an umbrella that brings every four years a new batch of elected representatives, mostly, and this is not the focus of A discussion, but what happened was mentally and behaviorally related to the Jordanians’ attitudes towards the performance of those who were elected.”

He added to Anadolu Agency: “However, this performance by the members of the Council is subject to change in terms of the political backgrounds of these representatives and their supposed ability to give the dimensions of legislation and the utmost initial oversight.”

However, he added: “But the fight that took place came at a lower level than the expectations of the Jordanians, who are characterized by high levels of education and their constant passion for political and legislative follow-up, and their remarkable ability to employ the media and follow what is broadcast through it to perform the parliament’s performance from a non-Jordanian perspective, that is, through what is written about it. From articles and analyzes, whether written or broadcast.

Mahadin considered that “what happened in the House of Representatives has raised the fear of Jordanians who believe in dialogue and peaceful political friction that it will become an acceptable norm, especially what happened in the reception of one of the members of his constituency participating in this fight.”

He pointed out that “the main concern here is the dissemination of a culture of violence instead of deepening the values ​​and behaviors of dialogue based on dialogue in a way that is better, under the umbrella of the constitution and the national interest, culturally and security.”

He explained that Jordanians fear the possibility of repeating “these strange frictions of their calm natures.”

** distrust of state institutions

In turn, the expert in parliamentary affairs, Hayel and Daan Al-Daajah, considered that “the recent events witnessed by the House of Representatives had the greatest impact on increasing fears, in light of the lack of conviction in the justifications given by the government in defense of the amendments that had political and religious repercussions such as naturalization, settlement, inheritance and divorce. and polygamy.”

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, he indicated that these amendments “may lead over time to a demand to amend the laws regulating them to conform to the constitutional amendments.”

He pointed out that what helped the street’s fear and anxiety “feel the presence of official pressures and interventions, which could influence the positions of the deputies regarding these amendments in terms of their approval and approval, taking advantage of the weakness that envelops the parliament’s performance.”

Al-Dajjah went on to say: “Jordanians’ fear and anxiety about the future is justified in light of their lack of confidence in state institutions, especially governments and parliaments, and what they notice of deviation by governments, specifically from addressing the most prominent problems and challenges they suffer from, represented by the difficult economic, social and living conditions (.. ) which is supposed to take precedence over national agendas.”

What made matters more complicated and aggravated, according to Al-Da’jah, is “the entry of some political elites on the line, and they express their views and proposals and share the Jordanian street’s anxiety and fear; As a result of the state of confusion and confusion that envelops the government, official and parliamentary performance in dealing with national issues.”

Data that Al-Da’jah sees as “contributing to making the citizen live under the impression or belief that government and official agencies are hiding something from him and do not tell him the truth, to the point where he questioned the seriousness of reform, so he began to feel fear and anxiety over his future, his identity and his homeland.”

** The inevitable result

As for Badr Al-Madhi, professor of political science at the German Jordanian University, he described the parliamentary scene in his country as “an inevitable result of a set of factors and reasons.”

He explained to Anadolu Agency that these factors and reasons “are not the least of the quality of elected individuals, passing through electoral laws that limit and specify the type of members required to represent the street, and ending with the pervasiveness of some parts of the executive authority and their control over the directions and behavior of legislative representatives, which has become a source of disapproval by the Jordanian street, even indifference. “.

He added: “The National Assembly (the parliament, with its two parts), and specifically the House of Representatives, the other legislative wing in the Kingdom, has lost its luster as an institution and a legislative authority that must enjoy the confidence of the masses.”

And he continued: “The drawn lines of the legislative authority, especially the parliament, do not help in producing a legislative council capable of being an authority that creates a kind of balance in the Jordanian authorities. Therefore, lifting the guardianship of the parliament has become one of the inevitable necessities for the development of the state, and the establishment of balanced relations between the three authorities.” .

Despite the sensitivity of the stage the kingdom is going through, observers believe that the parliament’s crises are “fabricated.” This is to expedite the passage of the proposed amendments and bills, while others believe that it is the product of the “reverse tug” forces, which do not want to pass the expected political updates, so that their interests are not affected.

During his meeting with the Speaker of the Senate (Second Chamber), Faisal Al-Fayez, and the heads of the council’s committees, on Monday, King Abdullah II said: “Jordan is proceeding in the path of political modernization, without hesitation or fear,” noting that “the next stage requires a lot of work and everyone’s solidarity.” .

King Abdullah II indicated, during the same meeting, that “there are parties who want the modernization process to fail, but we are confident of success with the will of the Jordanians,” according to a previous statement by the Royal Court.

The king stressed the importance of teamwork based on true partnership, calling for “accepting opinions and overcoming personal differences in order to serve the national interest.”

And the recent parliamentary elections, which took place in November 2020, witnessed a decline in the turnout at the polls. The reason, according to observers, is due to previous accumulations due to a crisis of popular confidence in the electoral process on the one hand, and the performance of parliamentarians on the other hand.

The number of party seats in the Jordanian parliament, this session, was limited to only 12 seats and 118 independents (out of a total of 130 seats in the parliament).

The parties’ seats were divided into 5 for the Islamic Action Front Party, and 5 for the Islamic Wasat Party, while the Jordanian United Front and Wafa parties won one seat each.

Anatolia

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Source : اخبار الاردن

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