BAKHIT GOVERNMENT WINS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

S E C R E T AMMAN 009823

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2015
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL JO
SUBJECT: BAKHIT GOVERNMENT WINS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

REF: A. AMMAN 9372


B. AMMAN 9201

C. AMMAN 5918


1. (U) SUMMARY: Jordan,s Chamber of Deputies gave an 86-20
vote of confidence to the new cabinet of Prime Minister
Marouf Bakhit on December 20. As expected, all 17 Islamic
Action Front (IAF) deputies voted against the government.
END SUMMARY.

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A STRONG VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
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2. (U) On December 20, the lower house of parliament voted
86-20 in favor of Bakhit's Cabinet. Bakhit had earlier
predicted to Ambassador on December 1, that he would obtain a
sizable majority (ref A). The Islamic Action Front (IAF)
accounted for seventeen of the "nay" votes; two independent
Islamists also voted against, as did one secular nationalist.
One deputy abstained and three were absent. The Chamber,s
Speaker, the recently re-elected Abdul Hadi Majali, voted in
favor of the new government. (Speakers customarily abstain
except to break a tie, but Majali also cast a vote in favor
of the last cabinet.)


3. (S) We attribute the commanding majority vote to several
factors: a desire to display national unity in the wake of
the November 9 bombings; Bakhit,s competent politicking and
hard work over the four weeks since his appointment on
November 24 (ref B),and the behind-the-scenes lobbying of
the Palace and likely, the security service as well. Speaker
Majali,s advocacy for the vote of confidence was key.

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PROSPECTS FOR REFORM?
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4. (C) The King has publicly charged Bakhit to bolster
security and at the same time push ahead with the reform
agenda. Security legislation is not likely to face
opposition in the lower house, but it remains to be seen
whether the strong vote of confidence will translate into a
parliamentary change of heart on certain key elements of
political reform. This is still the same chamber, led by the
same conservative Speaker, that balked at reformist ministers
last spring, and declined to act on anti-corruption
legislation in July (ref C).


5. (U) Bakhit announced after the vote that his government
will soon introduce reform legislation on elections,
political parties, and municipalities. He also pledged to
fight corruption, poverty and unemployment.


6. (C) Comment: Also on December 20, King Abdullah appointed
Major General Mohammed al-Dhahabi as the new director of the
General Intelligence Department (septel.) With the
Cabinet,s confirmation and Dhahabi,s appointment, the
King,s new team is firmly in place. Next come the real
challenges for the King and his new PM: deciding how (or if)
to roll out the National Agenda; seeking parliamentary
support for political reform and further fiscal restraint,
and deciding what to do if parliament refuses to go along.
RUBINSTEIN