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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A group of Jordanian figures on Monday called on the government and the parliament to take swift measures to amend the Municipalities Law ahead of the municipal elections slated to be held in August.

In a statement issued by a group of politicians, lawmakers, and journalists, the 81 signatories stressed the urgency of amending articles of the Municipal Elections law, citing heavy challenges that will be faced in the upcoming elections and the need to move towards local governance.

The statement highlighted that as the region is witnessing fundamental changes, the Jordanian "civil state" is facing the challenge of uplifting the experience of tax-paying voters and their voted representatives.

"We feel the volume of the impeding challenge in the upcoming municipal elections, and the need to boost the municipal elections law so that the elections would constitute an opportunity towards local governance," the statement said.

The statement highlighted factors that - in the signatories' perspective - constitute an urgent need for amendments, including "unprecedented consensus on Jordanian society's dissatisfaction with the role of municipalities and the level of services provided."

It also said that the Jordanian "central" state is not a modern model capable of accomplishing sustainable development, citing the need for reforms to be devised in coordination and consultation with constituents.

The statement criticized the "shy" reforms done to the Parliamentary Elections Law in 2012, blasting it for bringing about a Lower House that lacks real parliamentary blocs capable of adopting concurrent thought in administering the political process.

"We recognize today that the challenges ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections exceed mere simple services delegated to municipalities.. the challenge today reaches the extent of preserving the sustainability of the Jordanian state by having the will to undertake real reforms that would obstruct attempts at chaos and would constitute a comprehensive national project that gives all members of Jordanian society in all governorates the opportunity to participate in a developmental plan that would elevate the country into a modern state.

The statement called on the government and the legislative branch to take necessary measures to amend the municipal elections law to guarantee devising a modern electoral law that would adopt competition based on lists and political platforms, establishing neighborhood councils to widen citizen participation in municipal work, and freeing municipalities from the control of the Ministry of Municipalities.

The statement also called for further funding for the municipalities' budgets, widening municipalities' jurisdictions, devising an administrative system and mechanism that would ensure transparency and accountability of municipal councils, and rescheduling of municipalities' debts and halting all employment until debts are paid.