Today, Monday, at its headquarters in the capital, Amman, the Jordanian Masarat Foundation for Development and progress held an open dialogue session with a group of experts in partisan and parliamentary affairs, under the title, “How will the existing parties deal with the Royal Commission’s draft related to the political parties law?”

The session came to discuss the outcomes of the Royal Commission to Modernize the Political System related to the draft new parties law and the recommendations of the Parties Committee emanating from the Royal Commission, within several axes; It includes how the existing parties deal with the committee’s outputs, the new financing system and its relationship to the participation of women and youth, the possibility of merging parties, and anticipating the shape of the parties in the next stage.

The Secretary-General of the Islamic Action Front Party, Engineer Murad Al-Adaileh, said that the party has adapted to all the laws that were issued previously, but the parties law should not originally be a law of requirements for establishing the party as is the case, but rather the party should be registered by declaration or publicity. Without any conditions

He added, “We are faced with the opportunity of a royal desire to add the partisan component to parliamentary work, and we approved the law, which is not our ambition, but we consider it a state of consensus,” stressing that what is required is for the law to be accompanied by a good political climate, and this is an important title that takes precedence over laws.

Al-Adaileh pointed out that parties suffer from the climate in which they operate, and addressing it is a more important priority than the Parties Law, by removing security interference and lifting the security grip on party life, which leads to enhancing citizens’ participation in parties, and if there is not a comfortable climate for party work. Any amendment to the laws will not change the reality of the social incubator that rejects parties

For her part, the Secretary-General of the Stronger Jordan Party, Dr. Rula Al-Haroub, agreed with Al-Adaileh in what he said, stressing the need to distinguish between the constitutional right and financing parties, especially since the Parties Law violates the Constitution in terms of establishing the party, and is tantamount to confiscating the constitutional right granted to male and female citizens. Establishing parties with peaceful means, legitimate goals, and systems that do not violate the Constitution

She continued, if the Parties Law in its current form is sent to the Constitutional Court, it will rule that the conditions for establishing the party are unconstitutional and invalid, adding that the conditions for financing parties are the state’s right to formulate them as it wants, unlike the conditions for establishing parties.

Al-Hroub criticized the requirement that the number of those present in person at the founding conference of the party be determined by a majority of its founding members, as this condition may not be applied to parties only and not to all state agencies, especially since party work is voluntary work, and the party is a private institution like unions and associations that do not receive money outside the framework of the party. Government funding

She explained that the absence of large numbers of party members at the conference was due to fear of the security staff, and the legal text related to attacking partisans is still inadequate. Because it did not include a direct punishment for anyone exposed to partisans

As for the text related to dropping the new provisions on the already existing parties, Al-Haroub said that it came with the aim of executing existing political parties that are unable to attract more members in light of the security pressures on society.

She added that the party was unable to attract women from the House of Representatives despite her repeated attempts to attract them to the party, as women in Jordanian society are the ones who stay away from parties. Primarily because of the summons and security restrictions

The wars demanded that the basic rules for establishing parties be set in the political parties or elections law. Because the House of Representatives only legislates laws, while the government is left with the task of preparing regulations and instructions

For his part, the Secretary-General of the National Congress Party “Zamzam”, Dr. Irheel Al-Gharaibeh, affirmed, “If we do not go towards the goal of parliamentary government, then we are wasting time just as we wasted half a century in the past.”

He said that the partisan political situation requires a different political equation in governance, which requires awareness of the transitional phase, noting that the previous partisan situation adapted to the situation of protest, objection, complaint and victimhood, but this is not a partisan situation.

Al-Gharaibeh explained that parties are part of state administration. Therefore, it must be realized that the transformation process concerns all parties, “and we are facing a historical moment that must enjoy popular consensus from all parties,” stressing the necessity of “finding a new political system and reshaping the political mind according to this new equation.”

He added that the relationship between parties must rise to competition without exposing other parties to distortion. In Western countries, what distinguishes one party from another is the programmatic details, but in countries of the Arab world, parties are divided according to sect.

Al-Gharaybah believed that the partisan person is a fifth-class citizen. Because he was prevented from joining 14 government departments; The most prominent of which are the General Intelligence Department, the Customs Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Civil Service Bureau, the Audit Bureau, and the Legislation and Opinion Bureau, explaining that the party cannot implement its program except through the government and authority only.

He described linking funding to women joining the party as a teacher dealing with a young student, which leads to the presence of women in the party “nominally.”

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Jordanian Social Democratic Party, Jamil Al-Nimri, agreed with the previous speakers, pointing out that the repressive climate is accompanied by other imbalances, as there is no incentive to unify the parties, and now the committee has put in place this incentive, but the conditions do not advance or delay the final product in the elections.

He stressed the need to provide incentives and all requirements to help parties merge, expand, and engage together. For major party blocs to emerge as an alliance or single party representing the main trends in Parliament, funding is not only necessary for the party, but also to enable the parties to merge and expand.

Al-Nimri called for developing a real and effective financing system, so that financing is linked to merger and expansion, which is consistent with meeting the conditions, within a sequential program.

And appropriate

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Center Party, Dr. Mustafa Al-Amawi, said that the royal commission responded to some of the parties’ demands, and now the proposals will be referred to the House of Representatives, which should support democratic life and not be an obstacle to this system.

He pointed out that the Islamic Center Party held several meetings with the Zamzam Party with the aim of merging; Which means, “We are ahead of the committee’s outputs before they are legally determined,” adding that the parties present analytical proposals regarding the system of democratic life, which must be open and not restricted.

As for the Secretary-General of the National Current Party, Dr. Hamdi Murad, he warned that the region is on dangerous paths to change its difficult and complex reality to be more difficult than it is, “and all our misfortunes are due to the Zionist project, which requires a level of challenge in our internal environment, especially Jordan.” Due to his geographical location, which makes him affected by the good and evil around him, whether he likes it or not

He condemned the extension of the period to reach a parliamentary government to 10 years from now, indicating that the Jordanian parties can work for 3 years and achieve the committee’s outcomes after that.

Murad stated that the existing parties need help, not obstacles, and giving them the capabilities, but the conditions imposed by the committee are high while the giving is low, pointing out that the desperate partisan situation is clear in the arena, and explaining that “he is not optimistic about the committee’s achievement unless a set of paths are addressed before "Final achievement"

As for the former representative, Ahmed Al-Jaloudi, he saw that the committee undoubtedly came up with things that some people might find sufficient, but the problem is that the citizen has lost confidence, and has no reassurance or interest in the parties and the government, but rather all that matters to him is securing a living.

He added that party work is voluntary; Therefore, there is no need to force citizens to participate in partisanship. Rather, not placing restrictions and feeling that they are not forced to do so will make them belong in large numbers to parties, stressing the need to enhance partisan participation, by not pursuing security forces against partisans.

Al-Riyati explained that the importance of establishing parties lies in the fact that the loyal elites who were an integral part of the government are convinced that the party is the only way to participate in public life, stressing the necessity of raising awareness of party life before talking about the outcomes of the Royal Commission to Modernize the Political System.

For her part, the representative, Dr. Fayza Udaybat, stressed the necessity of developing democratic life and activating party life, but it “will not come in one day and night,” and it needs a long time, expressing her fear that the government will be preoccupied with party life and forget about economic concerns, as it cannot tolerate more. Wait.

She said that the only party organized since 1989 until now is the Islamic Action Front Party, while the other parties are still in the process of development and are parties of notables.

As for the Secretary-General of the National Current Party, Dr. Saleh Irshidat, he saw that the new law, regardless of the defects in some of the lines it contains, is considered a historical qualitative leap, and it is the second bullet in the renaissance project.

He added that there is a new process for party work, where parties become the political mechanism for parliamentary work, calling for accepting the draft law and waiting until it is referred to the House of Representatives.

In response to what the speakers indicated, the Chairman of the Parties Committee emanating from the Royal Commission to Modernize the Political System, Eng. Adnan Al-Sawair, confirmed that the Parties Law is a law of freedoms and democracy, indicating that he had hoped during his term as a member of the 17th House of Representatives that a draft Parties Law would be presented to Parliament. In its current form

He stated that the law today gives a good opportunity and opens a new page in relations with parties and building a partisan parliament, stressing that it was not possible to formulate a better parties law than the new formula.

Al-Sawair explained that the committee removed the broad texts in the law, and replaced the word “it is not permissible” in the text related to not attacking partisans with the word “prohibited.” The committee also enabled young people in universities to practice their political and partisan activity, and in addition to that, the committee worked to increase the number of founders. Expanding the establishment of parties at the national level

Regarding the issue of exceptions to the constituencies that partisans are allowed to join, he pointed out that the committee had two options: either it should specify the exceptions or leave the field open for government institutions to impose a condition of non-party affiliation for those who join to work in them, which is the most dangerous option.

Regarding the financing system, Al-Sawair expressed his hope that funding would be through a law instead of a system, but due to time constraints, the committee decided to keep it in the form of a system within its recommendations.

The chair of the Board of Trustees of the “Jordanian Pathways for Development and Development” Foundation, the former Minister of Social Development, Reem Abu Hassan, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, MP and political analyst Omar Al-Ayasrah, and a member of the Board of Trustees, Reem Habayeb, participated in the session.

The list of key speakers in the symposium moderated by Representative Dina Al-Bashir included: Secretary-General of the Islamic Action Front Party, Engineer Murad Al-Adaileh, Secretary-General of the Stronger Jordan Party, Dr. Rula Al-Haroub, Secretary-General of the National Congress Party “Zamzam”, Dr. Irhil Al-Gharaibeh, and Secretary-General of the Democratic Party. The Jordanian social worker, Jamil Al-Nimri, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Center Party, Dr. Mustafa Al-Amawi, the Secretary-General of the National Current Party, Dr. Hamdi Murad, the Secretary-General of the National Current Party, Dr. Saleh Irshidat, the representative, Tamam Al-Riyati, the representative, Dr. Fayza Udaybat, and the former representative, Ahmed Al-Jaloudi, and Chairman of the Parties Committee emanating from the Royal Commission to Modernize the Political System, Engineer Murad Al-Sawair.

The Jordanian Pathways for Development and Development will issue a position paper on the dialogue session within the coming days