ِِDebates kicks off on constitutional changes in Jordan

The parliament in Jordan began a deliberation on Monday over constitutional reform proposals that officials say revitalise the monarchy and are part of a long promised political reform.

Iran PressMiddle East: A royal committee appointed by King Abdullah, put the proposals in order to reform the political system of the country and maintain the existing political parties and elections laws.

Abdullah, whose powers include a majority parliament and a capitalist, has said in recent years he hopes to become constitutional monarch, Reuters reported.

The proposals include setting up a national security council, the monarchy governed by the authority of a government, a move that some experts and politicians view as whittling the monarch's powers away.

The liberals say the monarch, who has ruled since 1999, has been forced to accept timid steps toward democracy in response to regional turmoil, constrained by a conservative bureaucracy and a tribal power base which sees reforms as a threat to political and economic benefits.

Some deputies criticized the alterations to the kingdom's constitution saying it negatively impacted parliament and eroded successive governments executive power.

Other changes widened the size of women and political parties in an expanded 138-member assembly. It lowers the age of elected deputies to 25 years.

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