Odwan's resignation sparks political crisis - observers

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - When Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Taher Odwan announced his resignation on Tuesday, the surprise move signaled a deepening political crisis, according to observers.

Odwan, who resigned in protest over a package of legislation referred by the Cabinet to the Lower House, dealt a blow to a government already reeling from alleged corruption cases and the recent resignation of two ministers.

In his letter of resignation, Odwan criticized the proposed legislation, namely amendments to the Press and Publications Law, Anti-Corruption Commission Law and the Penal Code as undermining reform efforts and contradicting the media strategy completed one day earlier.

Denouncing the package of laws on the eve of the opening of the extraordinary session of Parliament, Odwan’s announcement signals rough days ahead for Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit, says Fahed Kheitan, Arab Al Yawm chief editor and political analyst.

“This is a blow to an already weak government in the midst of a deep political crisis,” Kheitan said.

Odwan’s resignation represents much more than the loss of the face for the government, said Nawaf Tal, director of the University of Jordan’s Center for Strategic Studies.

According to Tal, Odwan was a key member of Bakhit’s inner circle, along with Minister of Agriculture Samir Habashneh, and a respected reformist in a largely conservative Cabinet.

Losing a liberal figure who influenced the decision-making process leaves Bakhit without a key ally at a time when several key pieces of legislation are to go before Parliament and pro-reform demonstrations are heating up.

“With one member of the inner circle out, it means that this government is a sinking ship,” Tal said.

The way in which Odwan ended his tenure as minister speaks volumes about the way in which the Cabinet works, and calls into question its ability to follow through on reform pledges, according Oraib Rantawi of Al Quds Center for Political Studies.

“This is not just a resignation, it’s a scandal,” Rantawi said.

“If this Cabinet cannot build a consensus among its members, how can we trust it to reach a national consensus on reform?” he asked.

The departure of the minister has also intensified the focus on the brewing political crisis over the release of convicted tycoon Khaled Shahin to receive medical treatment abroad, a potent symbol of corruption in the public mind, which has already led to the resignation of the ministers of health and justice.

“Bakhit has lost the public trust and this latest resignation has killed all chances of him gaining it back,” said columnist Hassan Barari.

Parliament showdown

The impact of the veteran journalist’s departure will be felt far beyond Amman’s 4th Circle area, where the Prime Ministry is located, according to observers.

The government’s future may hinge on the way Odwan’s resignation plays out in the extraordinary session of Parliament, which is quickly becoming the frontline in a battle of wills between the two authorities, observers said.

Beleaguered by the casino case, dogged by conflicting statements on the Shahin controversy and down three ministers, the prime minister is expected to receive less than a warm welcome from deputies.

The timing of Odwan’s resignation and his denunciation of the package of legislation presented before lawmakers left Bakhit further weakened before an emboldened Lower House fighting to regain its credibility in the eyes of the public, according to analysts.

“This is a minister resigning; you can’t defend these laws in front of Parliament,” Kheitan said.

With potential parliamentary elections on the horizon, deputies are likely to use Odwan’s resignation as ammunition in an effort to prove themselves as a check on the executive authority, according to Barari.

“Bakhit is going to suffer from parliamentarians who will take advantage of the situation to prove that he is not up to the job,” Barari said.

Jamil Nimri, Irbid MP and president of the House’s National Guidance Committee, said that without Odwan, a popular and respected figure among lawmakers, the premier will have a tough time before the Lower House.

“The government really surprised us with this package of laws and it seems that they surprised themselves,” Nimri said.

According to Nimri, the concerns raised in Odwan’s letter of resignation regarding the proposed legislation’s impact on media freedoms will “definitely” influence deputies’ votes.

“The government is in a tough spot and it is going to have a lot to answer for,” Nimri added.

Reshuffle in the cards?

Pundits agreed that with the government spokesman’s resignation, it is a matter of when, not if, Jordan will soon see a new government.

Kheitan believes Odwan’s departure opens the door to further resignations, and perhaps even a mass walkout.

“There are some ministers who haven’t agreed with all the Cabinet’s decisions who may take the opportunity to leave,” he said.

With the National Dialogue Committee’s reform recommendations set, the constitutional review panel’s work is about to be completed and the extraordinary session of Parliament opened, a Cabinet reshuffle is more likely in the cards, according to Barari.

“A reshuffle is a necessity in order to restore public trust in the political process. But the question is: What type of government will we get?” Rantawi said.

With speculation abound over Bakhit government’s expiry date - with forecasts ranging from days to weeks, analysts agreed that whoever occupies the Prime Ministry in the next few months will likely face an uphill battle.

“The next government, irrespective of who the prime minister is, is going to have a very rough time getting their agenda across,” Tal said.

23 June 2011

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/index.php?news=38769.