Jordan Times
Friday, December 28, 2007
57 lawmakers form new
‘centrist’ bloc
AMMAN (JT) - Lower House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali on Thursday formed a
Parliament bloc comprising a massive 57 lawmakers, which will be the nucleus for
a centrist political party, according to bloc members.
Although Majali is the architect of the bloc, he will not be nominating himself
to chair neither the bloc nor the foreseen political party, according to Mefleh
Rheimi, one of the bloc members.
“We are currently in the process of drafting internal regulations for the bloc
and hopefully all members will agree on them by early January,” Rheimi told The
Jordan Times.
Further meetings will be held between bloc members to determine working
guidelines and general policy, Rheimi said.
It was not clear what ideology the bloc will adopt, with Rheimi stressing the
bloc is “centrist”, failing to elaborate further.
With the formation of the bloc, the House will be having three blocs including
the Islamic Action Front which includes six Islamist lawmakers.
The third bloc is the National Alliance, consisting of 10 MPs. It is headed by
Marzouq Habarneh.
Observers have often cast doubt on the power of Parliament blocs, often formed
based on personal relations and shared interest rather than political agendas or
a certain ideology.
During the 14th Parliament, it was common to see bloc members clash during house
sessions.
Meanwhile, the Lower House Financial and Economic Committee began deliberations
on the state draft budget for 2008. During yesterday’s meeting chaired by Deputy
Khalil Atiyyeh, Finance Minister Hamad Kasasbeh, Central Bank of Jordan Governor
Umayya Touqan and other finance experts analysed the main items appearing in the
draft state budget for the coming year.
Commenting on the draft budget, Atiyyeh said the budget for 2008 has excessive
expenditures, underlining the need to consider rationalising expenses. He also
pointed out that the budget includes many positive points in terms of social
safety nets and salary increases.
Also on Thursday, the eight committees entrusted with examining the contested
election of 27 deputies named its heads and repeaters.