Jordan- Opposition parties to continue calls to boycott polls


(MENAFN- Jordan Times) Opposition parties on Tuesday said they would continue their efforts to encourage a boycott of the next parliamentary elections in protest against the amended 2012 Elections Law, which was endorsed by a Royal Decree on Monday. "Any elections under this law will lead the country down an unknown path," said Murad Adayleh, a member of the Islamic Action Front's (IAF) executive office. The Muslim Brotherhood, along with its political arm the IAF, decided to boycott the polls earlier this month, but the group voiced hope that His Majesty King Abdullah would intervene to amend the legislation in a way to put an end to the so called one-person, one-vote electoral formula. The amendments increased the number of seats allocated for the proportional list at the national level to 27 from 17, but critics say that as the law keeps one vote for each voter at the district level, this maintains the one-person, one-vote system that many opposition parties consider an obstacle to representative parliaments. Dozens of popular movements and political parties announced over the past few weeks that they would boycott the polls in protest against what they said was the government's attempt to "abduct the reform process" by restoring the one-person, one-vote system. Jordanian Socialist Baath Party Secretary General Akram Homsi warned that under such a law, no one would be a winner. He indicated that his party has not yet decided whether to participate in the upcoming polls, saying it would decide after completing consultations with its members. Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood postponed a rally scheduled for Monday night under the slogan "Comprehensive Reform", during which activists were planning to march from the King Abdullah Mosque in Abdali to the Interior Ministry Circle. The movement did not set a new date for the march but said in a brief statement to the media on Tuesday that it would announce a new date and time later. Popular movements and Islamist leaders have scheduled several activities and protests over the next few days, Adayleh said. "These groups will clearly voice their opinion against this legislation, hoping that the government hears them before things move towards the worst-case scenario," he added. "Now we should wait to see the authorities' next steps in connection with the elections and the law," he said, reaffirming that the IAF will lead a campaign to call for boycotting the elections.


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