August 25, 2014
Osama Al Sharif
Source: Al- Monitor
On Aug. 14, the Jordanian government announced that it would ask parliament to approve two constitutional amendments giving
the king sole authority to appoint the head of the armed forces and
director of the kingdom’s General Intelligence Department (GID). Almost
three years ago, in October 2011, in response to public protests calling
for political reforms, King Abdullah II had approved a number of constitutional amendments that
curtailed some of his powers and allowed for the creation of a
Constitutional Court and an Independent Elections Commission.
These reforms were hailed as a major step toward full constitutional
monarchy. Jordan’s version of the Arab Spring was largely peaceful and
bloodless, and Abdullah was able to project himself as a champion of political reforms that would lead, according to statements made in June 2011, to the formation of parliamentary governments. That promise remains to be fulfilled.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s Islamic Action Front (IAF) boycotted the 2013 legislative elections,
and other political parties performed poorly, failing to fill the
vacuum. Weak and unpopular, the parties' presence in the current Lower
House, comprised mostly of independents, is modest. The government of
Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour,
appointed by Abdullah in October 2012, was supposed to include elected
deputies as a precursor to the formation of parliamentary governments.
To date, however, Ensour has failed to fulfill that pledge, probably due
to royal objections.
It is clear that Abdullah instructed Ensour to handle the two
constitutional amendments. Under the current constitution, the
government recommends the appointees for head of the armed forces and
GID director, and the king approves them through royal decree. The
king had asked the prime minister on Aug. 12 to “activate” the Ministry of Defense,
whose portfolio has been handled directly by the prime minister for
decades. In effect, the portfolio will now be managed by a civilian or a
retired army officer. The king said the new ministry will handle
“political, economic, legal and logistical duties related to national
defense … and nonmilitary services … while allowing the armed forces to
dedicate its time to professional military duties.”
The government is rushing the two amendments through parliament,
which has been convened in an extraordinary session. The timing and
reasons for the amendments, described by Ensour as important reforms
that will enhance Jordan’s democratic process, were not made clear.
Pundits rushed to explain the surprise move. Clearly Abdullah is looking
to expand his authority, making sure that the decision to appoint and
fire the heads of two very sensitive institutions remains his alone.
Critics of the move did not waste time making their points. In
general, they saw the move as a violation of the constitution and a
derogation of the general mandate of the government. A number of retired
army officers issued a statement denouncing the action, describing it
as “an attack on the constitution and a challenge to the will of the people, who are the source of all authorities.”
Mohammad al-Hammouri,
a respected constitutional expert and former justice minister, wrote on
Aug. 19, “Giving the king exclusive powers to appoint the heads of the
armed forces and GID constitutes an abrogation of the parliamentary
system and a coup against the constitution, effectively turning Jordan
from a constitutional monarchy to a presidential monarchy.”
He added that the Jordanian system of government is based on the
principle of separation of powers, with the people being the source of
authority. He added that the only exclusive power that the king has is
to prevent amendment of the constitution, while the authority to run the
state’s domestic and foreign affairs is tied directly to the Council of
Ministers.
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