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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan | |
| Proposed reforms not enough for Jordan protesters | |
| 2011-08-15 | |
AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan's King Abdullah II welcomed proposed constitutional amendments on Sunday, but critics rebuked the changes as insufficient. The 42 proposed changes to the nearly 60-year-old constitution would still allow King Abdullah to retain most of his absolute powers, according to a 15-page document distributed by the royal palace.
The recommended changes do not address protesters' demands to elect a prime minister, instead keeping the appointment of the post solely with the king. But a senior government official said a separate document addressing the prime minister's appointment would be up for discussion at a later unspecified date. The proposed changes to the constitution, which must be approved by the king and parliament, also include limiting the jurisdiction of military courts to only terrorism and espionage cases. Military courts would be stripped of their powers to hear financial and corruption cases, which under vaguely defined laws, had given the government an upper hand in verdicts. Under the proposed changes, the king's appointed prime minister and his Cabinet would retain the right to dissolve the country's only elected body, but Cabinet would no longer be able to enforce temporary laws in the absence of elected lawmakers. If Cabinet dissolves parliament, the changes would require ministers to resign within a week instead of the current system that allows them to supervise elections. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |