Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Centrist parties on Wednesday launched a campaign to encourage citizens to register for the parliamentary elections and urge opposition groups to take part in the polls.

More than 11 representatives from various political parties gathered on Tuesday to discuss the preparations for the parliamentary elections and to urge the Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), to revisit its decision to boycott the polls.

They called on opposition parties to “give priority to national interests over their own”.

They told the Islamists that any change or reform that would take place in a country like Jordan should be made within a legitimate parliament.

However, the Islamists’ representative at the meeting reiterated the group’s position, noting that they are “are not against the regime”, but rather want to reform it.

“There are certain differences when it comes to the elections and the reform process in Jordan,” said Ali Abul Sukkar, a member of the IAF shura council, who attended the meeting.

He noted, however, that the Islamists had not closed the door to more dialogue, “if there is a real and clear political will”.

Meanwhile, 11 centrist parties issued a statement on Wednesday in which they announced that they would take part in the elections and encouraged their members, supporters and Jordanians in general to participate.

“Although Jordanians do not have an overall consensus over the appropriate electoral system that suits the country at this stage, the ongoing registration process is a test of goodwill for all parties,” Secretary General of the Jordanian National Union Party Mohammed Khushman said.

Khushman called for supporting the work of the Independent Elections Commission.


* Jordan Times