Cabinet dissolves local, municipality councils ahead of elections

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to dissolve the local and municipality councils, including the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), in preparation for the upcoming elections.

The Council of Ministers, during a session chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh, decided to form temporary committees to run the municipalities and GAM’s affairs until the municipal elections are held, Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Musa Maaytah said.

The minister said the Cabinet’s decision was based on a recommendation by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration Tawfiq Kreishan to dissolve the local and municipal councils.

The elections should be held within six months from the day they were dissolved, depending on the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom, Maaytah told The Jordan Times.

The early dissolving step, Maaytah maintained is a routine measure that is meant to achieve transparency and “prevent any abuse of power by the current officials”.

“We have experienced some instances whereby the heads of certain councils and municipalities would take decisions within their districts shortly before the elections to ensure they are recognised in future elections,” the minister noted.

Maaytah added that a new Municipalities and Decentraliasation Law is expected to be issued within the next two weeks.

“This new law will govern the election process in the local councils and municipalities,” Maaytah said.

Officials have said in the past that local government elections are aimed at increasing Jordanians' political engagement and enabling citizens to decide on issues and priorities in their governorates, while monitoring the performance of their elected councils.