Lower House begins deliberations over draft political parties’ law

AMMAN — The Lower House on Sunday commenced deliberations over the draft political parties’ law.

The chamber, with a majority of 50 votes, out of 97, had agreed to bring forward the discussion of the draft political parties’ law and postpone deliberations over the amendments pertaining to the Cities and Villages Development Bank, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Under the bill, a political party is a national political institution comprising Jordanians with common citizenship values and shared objectives, programmes and vision. It aims to encourage participation in political life and public action in peaceful and democratic ways to serve legitimate purposes through running in elections, including parliamentary elections, and forming or participating in governments in accordance with Article 35 of the Constitution, Petra said.

Article 35 stipulates: "The King appoints the prime minister and may dismiss him or accept his resignation. He appoints the ministers; he also dismisses them or accepts their resignation, upon the recommendation of the prime minister."

The draft law that shall come into force 90 days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. 

During two sessions over the draft law, the lawmakers approved the right to establish and join political parties, as well as approved the prohibition of direct and indirect harm against any Jordanian citizen, including their constitutional and legal rights.

The MPs also approved the prohibition of any action aimed to harm any university student for being affiliated to a political party, as well as gave them the right to claim compensation at courts.

The Lower House also approved the principles for the establishment of parties, based on citizenship and equality among Jordanians, commitment to democracy and respect for political pluralism.

The principles also stipulated that a party could not be founded on religious, sectarian, ethnic or factional grounds, or on the basis of discrimination on the basis of sex or origin.