Fresh off a strong showing in last week’s parliamentary elections, leaders of the Islamic Centrist Party now claim they are positioned to assume the mantle of Lower House speaker and even form the country’s next government.
Defying initial forecasts, members of the party took 16 seats in the January 23 polls, including three through the national list competition and 13 in district-level races, over four times the number of those secured by the second leading national list.
Despite having secured little over 10 per cent of the Lower House’s 150 seats, Islamic centrists claim that by virtue of being largest bloc in parliament announced to date they have the mandate — and the ability — to build a coalition to name the next speaker and even prime minister.
The claims come despite the fact that the bulk of parliamentary blocs have yet to emerge, with larger, non-Islamist coalitions likely to be formed in the lead-up to Parliament’s first session.
“So far we have been the largest coalition to emerge in parliament, and in accordance with the Constitution and internal bylaws we have the right to put forward a candidate for speaker, and, God willing, prime minister,” Islamic Centrist Party Secretary General Mohammed Haj said.
Although we are an Islamist movement we are ready to work with all Jordanians who are for reform, against corruption and will support the causes of the Islamic nation
Due to a boycott of the elections by the Muslim Brotherhood, Jordan’s largest organised political force, and the weak presence of other political parties in the race for the 17th Parliament, observers say the 12-year-old Islamic Centrist Party has vaulted from underdog to key player, with party officials embarking on a flurry of talks over the past three days with various political factions in an attempt to form a majority coalition.
With no rival Islamist movements or candidates in parliament, Islamist centrists say they are employing a “big-tent” approach to their discussions, reaching out to leftist, nationalist and tribal groups to build their new coalition.
“Although we are an Islamist movement we are ready to work with all Jordanians who are for reform, against corruption and will support the causes of the Islamic nation,” Haj said.
In the backroom dealings, party members say, they have set three preconditions for membership in any potential political coalition: Members must support the movement’s core reform programme as well as the candidacy of party members for the positions of speaker and prime minister.
Party insiders said they had arrived at a consensus as early as Saturday over their candidates for the top posts. The movement is set to put forward Haj’s name for speaker and nominate party founder and politburo chief Marwan Faouri for the premiership.
According to Faouri, discussions between Islamic centrists and other parliamentary factions have centred solely on Haj’s candidacy for the speakership, and the party expects to produce a majority coalition by early next week.
Should the party secure an agreement over the speaker’s post, the moderate Islamists say they are prepared to begin deliberations over the more complicated and possibly contentious issue of forming the country’s first parliamentary government.
As His Majesty King Abdullah announced earlier this month that the next parliament will serve as the basis for the next government, party leaders say their election mandate gives them the right to form an “Islamist government”.
“His Majesty King Abdullah was very clear prior to the elections that should a political coalition emerge with a national programme and majority support, that coalition will form the next government,” Haj said.
“We believe we are that movement.”
Although still in the preliminary stages, the Islamic centrists say their vision for the next government is a Cabinet comprising a wide spectrum of social and political factions in Jordan, with Islamists holding a handful of key portfolios.
“Our vision for the next government is a team of ministers with clean track records, prominent citizens who have the people’s trust and confidence and the willingness to tackle corruption,” Haj said.
“Ability and confidence, not ideology, are our priorities.”
As for its policies, Haj said the envisioned “Islamist government” would be a “civil government over a civil state”, respecting Islamic values while solidifying the Kingdom’s decades-old interfaith harmony.
“We are determined to meet Jordanian citizens’ demands to return to Islamic principles, but we will respect the rights of all Jordanians, regardless of religion, class or background,” he said.
Amid the core priorities of their proposed government, Islamic moderates have highlighted amending the Elections Law, combating corruption and reducing Jordan’s reliance on international financial institutions.
But with the new parliament’s first session weeks away and the political horse-trading ongoing, party leaders admit that their ascendance to power is far from assured.
“On election day, Jordanians chose Islam,” claimed Haj.
“Now it is up to us to make sure their voice is heard.”
Taylor Luck
http://jordantimes.com/after-surprise-victory-islamic-centrists-eye-spea...
