عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Controversy in Jordan’s Parliament over Constitutional Amendments Expanding King’s Powers

King of Jordan Abdullah II addresses the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler/File Photo
King of Jordan Abdullah II addresses the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler/File Photo
TT
TT

Controversy in Jordan’s Parliament over Constitutional Amendments Expanding King’s Powers

King of Jordan Abdullah II addresses the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler/File Photo
King of Jordan Abdullah II addresses the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler/File Photo

Jordan’s Parliament witnessed a heated debate on Monday while holding the first session for reviewing proposed constitutional reforms submitted by the government last week. The reforms had already triggered widespread responses on social media and among political elites.

At the start of Monday’s session, which King Abdullah launched its activities last week, Jordanian deputies referred the draft constitutional amendment to the Legal Committee before electing its members, triggering far-reaching criticism.

Lawmakers criticized amendments to about 30 articles in the constitution, the most prominent of which was linked to expanding the monarch’s powers through forming a National Security Council.

Prominent deputies criticized the accountability and oversight mechanism of a council headed by the king and comprising the prime minister, the army chief, the directors of the security services, the ministers of foreign affairs and the interior, and two members appointed by the king.

They argued that the move creates a political body parallel to the legislative and executive powers in the country.

While Parliament Speaker Abdulkarim Dughmi tried to refer the draft amendment to the Legal Committee to prevent parliamentary interventions, deputies demanded more discussions.

In the face of the government’s referral of the draft constitutional amendment and granting it “urgency and priority,” the deputies chose to talk about the parties and elections bills.

They warned against tampering with the map of electoral districts at the expense of confiscating the rights of voter representation in extended geographical areas that may prejudice demographic equations due to merging electoral districts with high population densities.

For his part, Prime Minister Bisher al Khasawneh rejected accusations against the government on “overturning the constitution” or compromising the “objective unity” of the Jordanian constitution, which stipulates “the principle of associated authority and responsibility when it comes to the work of institutions.”

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
TT
TT

Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is advocating the formation of a government of “consensus” that includes representatives from all political factions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has requested that parliamentary blocs submit non-partisan nominees for ministerial positions, emphasizing that they must not belong to any political party.

Aoun stressed on Tuesday that all components of society have the right to be represented in the government, parliament and public administration, as this is already practiced in the army.

“We have significant opportunities that we hope to seize by uniting all elements of Lebanese society—civil, spiritual, and political. Together, we can rebuild our nation,” he declared.

Highlighting the importance of meeting international expectations, Aoun hoped for the rapid formation of a government to achieve political, economic, and security stability, which would allow citizens “to live with dignity, not merely in relative comfort.”

During meetings with professional delegations at the Presidential Palace, Aoun said: “We are at a crossroads. Either we take advantage of the current circumstances and rise above sectarian, religious, and political divisions, or we head in a different direction and bear full responsibility for failing to fulfill our duties.”

Negotiations between Aoun, Salam, and political factions over the formation of a government are ongoing. The discussions, which kicked off last week, have reportedly made progress, with efforts directed toward expediting the government formation process, issuing decrees, preparing a ministerial statement, and securing its vote of confidence from lawmakers.

While the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement appear to have finalized their proposed nominees for the government, disagreements over the ministerial statement remain.

MP Waddah Sadek, who is backed by the opposition, firmly rejected the inclusion of the “Army, People, Resistance” term in the statement. He declared: “No ‘blocking third’ in the government, and no unconstitutional gimmicks. The slogan of the new phase in Lebanon should be: the ‘Army, People, and State.’”

The Kataeb Party echoed this stance, stressing that Lebanon, emerging from a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, must align with the Aoun’s inaugural speech and Salam’s remarks by ensuring the ministerial statement exclusively underscores the state’s monopoly over arms and the defense of the nation.

“The government must act decisively, dismantle militias, strictly enforce the ceasefire, and uphold its provisions across all Lebanese territory,” it demanded.

The Kataeb Party also urged Aoun and Salam to resist the “great extortion” by Hezbollah and Amal to secure specific ministries or positions, in violation of the inaugural speech, calling instead for the application of uniform standards to ensure the government’s success.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah adopted a more confrontational tone.

MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, commented: “To those betting on Hezbollah’s weakness or the weakness of the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, what will you say when the government is formed? What will you say when you realize the strength of Hezbollah, the alliance, and the resistance’s supporters across all segments of Lebanese society? What will you say when you see the unwavering determination and unity of the resistance at every critical juncture?”