Media Advisory: King Abdullah II Discusses Jordan’s Democratic Transition Process

AMMAN, Jordan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the second in a series of discussion papers, “Making Our Democratic System Work for All Jordanians,” His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan has outlined the unwavering principles that will underpin Jordan’s democratic transition process, as well as the conditions necessary for a successful transition towards a full parliamentary government system of governance. English translation is available with this link: http://bit.ly/XEkPyB.

“The Constitutional Monarchy in Jordan has changed and evolved for the past nine decades and will continue to do so. The next stage is an evolution in how we select our Government.”

Since ascending the Throne in 1999, His Majesty King Abdullah II has expressed a clear and consistent vision for comprehensive reform and the future of Jordanian democracy. In this series of discussion papers, His Majesty lays out perspectives on specific elements of our journey towards realizing that future. The aim of these papers is to facilitate a national conversation around our reform roadmap and democratic transformation to build consensus, encourage citizens’ participation in decision making, and sustain constructive momentum for reform. Through these papers His Majesty offers a Royal patronage for unrestricted, constructive and intelligent discussions on Jordan’s future, by dissolving red lines and reiterating that Jordanians themselves hold the key to their own destiny.

Key quotes from King Abdullah II, offered in English translation:

“Democracy is fundamentally something active, something we do as citizens and as a country. In Jordan, the basis for our democracy is the Constitution, which for close to 90 years has provided the framework for how we make public choices and decisions. This is the foundation, but our laws and institutions must continue to evolve and develop.”

“The Constitutional Monarchy in Jordan has changed and evolved for the past nine decades and will continue to do so. The next stage is an evolution in how we select our Government.”

“Crafting a modern democratic society will be the product of our learning and developing together over time, not a single moment or set of reforms. Reform is not merely a question of changes to laws and regulations. It requires an evolution in how citizens, civil servants and the representatives entrusted to make decisions on behalf of citizens operate and interact within the current system. As I outlined in my first paper, our commitment to active citizenship, respect and accountability, shared gain and sacrifice, and dialogue and compromise along our journey, is critical to our success as a nation.”

“The principles underpinning our journey are clear. We will nurture and protect political pluralism and develop the appropriate checks and balances for a properly functioning democracy. We will strengthen and enhance our civil society and ensure a level playing field for political competition. The rights of all citizens, especially those of minorities, will be safeguarded as per our Constitution.”

“As I have said before, the path towards deepening our democracy lies in moving toward parliamentary government, where the majority coalition in Parliament forms the Government. After the upcoming elections, we will start piloting a parliamentary government system, including how our Prime Ministers and Cabinets are selected.... The key driver of the timeline for this transition is our success in developing national political parties whereby they capture the majority of votes by citizens and with competent leaders capable of assuming positions in our Government.”