GOJ UNVEILS DRAFT POLITICAL PARTIES LAW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002427 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2015 TAGS: PGOV KDEM KISL KMPI JO SUBJECT: GOJ UNVEILS DRAFT POLITICAL PARTIES LAW REF: A. AMMAN 2378 ¶B. AMMAN 2043 Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) The Minister of Political Development presented on March 21 a draft law on political parties. The law would provide public funds to parties with more than 1,000 members. Additional funds would be made available to parties if women or young adults exceed 20 percent of their total membership. The draft law is open to public comments and will likely go through a lengthy process of revision. It was announced after an ABC News interview with King Abdullah in which he repeated his call for three or four strong, organized political parties in Jordan. While party leaders have long requested public funding, they insist that the GOJ needs to allow free political expression if parties are to develop and thrive. End Summary. -------------- A MUCH ANTICIPATED LAW -------------- ¶2. (U) Following more than a year of speculation (ref B), Minister of Political Development Munther al-Shara unveiled during a March 21 press conference a draft law that would amend current legislation (adopted in 1992) regulating political parties. Shara commented that the law was based on dialogue with many of Jordan's political parties and civil society institutions, in addition to women's and youth organizations. Representatives from 27 parties attended the event and were given copies of the draft legislation for their review, along with related financial regulations. A few parties, including the Communist Workers' Party and the Islamic Centrist party, boycotted the press conference, complaining that they had not been adequately consulted on the proposed legislation and that the government should first focus its efforts on a new electoral law. ¶3. (U) Among its provisions, the law stipulates that parties must have at least 200 members (up from the current baseline of 50) to be recognized by the government and cannot discriminate on the basis of gender, ethnic origin, or religion. New parties applying for government recognition must receive an answer from the Minister of Political Development within 60 days and can appeal a negative decision in court. The law prohibits the use of places of worship, union headquarters, charities or clubs for the benefit of any political party. Parties may also not "interfere" in the affairs of other states or act in a way that "harms" Jordan or its relations with other countries. ¶4. (U) With respect to funding, the draft law and accompanying financial regulations constitute a major change in that they would provide JD 16,000 (about USD 22,400) in public money each year to parties with more than 1,000 registered members, provided that women and young adults (ages 18-27) form at least 10 percent of their membership and elected committees. Parties would be eligible for an additional 1,000 dinars (USD 1,400) annually if the percentage of women or young adult members exceeds 20 percent; another 1,000 dinars would go to parties if women and young adults comprise 20 percent or more of their elected committees. In addition, parties participating in parliamentary elections would be entitled to a half dinar for each vote garnered by one of their candidates (not to exceed 50,000 dinars/USD 70,000). Private funding would be restricted to donations from Jordanian citizens with an individual contribution limit of 10,000 dinars (USD 14,000). Recognized parties would be tax-exempt, but subject to financial review by the government Audit Bureau. ¶5. (SBU) Shara cautioned that the law was a first draft and he invited feedback and proposals for revisions before it is put in final form. He did not provide any date for its submission to either the cabinet or parliament for approval, only noting that the final version of the law would have to be in "harmony" with recommendations made by the royal commission charged with developing a "national agenda" (ref A). (NOTE: Given that the national agenda commission will complete its work no earlier than September, the draft law may not be finalized until 2006. END NOTE.) -------------- A PARTY-FRIENDLY KING? -------------- ¶6. (U) The unveiling of the draft law comes less than a week after an interview of King Abdullah by Peter Jennings of ABC News that touched upon political parties. During the March 15 broadcast, the King reiterated his view that while there are over 30 parties currently on the books in Jordan, none of them have any real political platform. "I don't want parliament (members) being elected because they belong to this tribe or this village or this particular constituency. I want them to be elected on a party political platform." The King said that he wanted to "strengthen" parties and that he would like to see the current number of parties consolidated into "three of four" that would take stands on issues such as the economy, social services, health and education. -------------- ICY REACTION -------------- ¶7. (U) Initial reaction to the draft law by political parties has been negative. Hamzah Mansour, Secretary General of the Islamic Action Front (IAF),told the press that while his party still needs time to "research" the text, he believed that the prohibition against interference in foreign relations was a clear violation of freedom of expression and the Jordanian constitution. A spokesperson for the "Higher Coordinating Committee" of opposition political parties (dominated by the IAF) said that the draft legislation was undemocratic and represented a government attempt to control the internal affairs of parties. The Secretary General of the centrist National Constitutional Party remarked publicly that the draft "does not deserve any response," while the head of the leftist Hashd Party said the proposed law would limit, rather than encourage, the development of parties, though he welcomed provisions exempting parties from taxes and banning them from using houses of worship. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) The provision of public funding for political parties in the draft law should be welcomed by party leaders who have long requested such a move. However, no existing party other than the IAF currently meets the funding threshold of 1,000 registered members. Preliminary reaction confirms that other provisions of the law will be problematic. The IAF in particular may strongly object to the ban on sectarianism and the use of mosques and professional association facilities for political party benefit. The prohibition against "harming" Jordan or interfering in other states' affairs will be seen as a promise of government intervention against any party that crosses redlines on leading issues of Jordanian politics, such as GOJ relations with the U.S. and Israel, or the role of the King and his inner circle. ¶9. (C) Party leaders and reform activists have often told emboffs that political parties will not develop or thrive until the government truly allows freedom of expression and loosens restrictions on public gatherings. They further insist that the security services must end harassment of those who speak out against government policies if real party politics is to develop here. Leaders of the Islamic Centrist Party, for example, recently noted to poloff that it is very difficult for them to recruit young members when political party activity is banned on university campuses and university students admitted through the "royal quota" (estimated at up to 30 percent of the student population) are asked to refrain from joining any party. HENZEL