Jordan King Launches ‘White Revolution’
King Abdullah II opened the first session of the newly elected parliament with ambitious plans for democratic transformation and enhanced parliamentary government that are unlikely to placate a restive population, writes Danya Greenfield.
Amid pro-reform street protests in Karak, Irbid and Safwa, on Feb. 10 King Abdullah II opened the first session of the newly elected Jordanian parliament with a speech full of ambitious plans for democratic transformation and enhanced parliamentary government. The king called for a “white revolution” — a government-led technocratic revolution of sorts resulting in enhanced efficiency and improved government services. In appealing to the public, Abdullah called for a bottom-up, grassroots approach to solving problems and pledged transparency and openness in government. He referred to the inauguration of the parliament as a “milestone on the road to democratization and comprehensive reform.”
At present, however, Abdullah has only one leg on which to stand given his track record in turning lofty rhetoric into substantive change. When a new electoral law passed in October 2012, nearly a year after its introduction in parliament, the result disappointed many sectors of the population, including opposition parties, political activists, journalists, civil society leaders and even regime loyalists who had hoped for real change through the reform process championed by Abdullah. The law established a professional, and credible, independent election commission, but preserved the status quo through disproportionate districting that privileges East Bank tribes and discourages candidates from running on political or economic platforms.
