A call by King Abdullah to “revisit” laws regulating political life in the kingdom has triggered a sense of optimism and hope that long-delayed reforms could finally take place almost a decade after Jordanians took to the streets demanding genuine reforms in what was called Jordan’s Arab Spring. 

In an interview with the Jordan News Agency published Jan. 30 to mark the king’s 59th birthday, Abdullah was asked about his aspirations as the kingdom oberserves its centennial. He responded by underlining his belief that Jordan should continue “development to promote political participation and increase the participation of political parties and youth in parliament; we must revisit laws regulating political life, such as the election, political parties, and local administration laws, and continue political development efforts.” 

He went on to say that “our goal for many years has been to reach a platform-based political party scene that reflects the ideology and leanings of Jordanians, and carries forward their concerns and national causes, and works towards achieving their aspirations by conveying their voices and bringing their representatives to parliament.”

At the center of these reforms is the election law and the political parties law, but critics see a need for a full review of the kingdom’s political scene, especially after 2011 when some reforms were introduced only to be rolled back two years later.