Jordanian Islamists will not take part in "absurd" government

The Secretary General of the Jordanian Islamic Action Front has announced that his party is not going to take part in the upcoming Jordanian government. Shaikh Hamza Mansour said that such a move would be “absurd”. Speaking to Sky News Arabic TV, he noted that if a parliamentarian or “salvation” government was sought by the elections, the group would be ready to take part.

However, Abdullah Al-Nosour, the man chosen to form the government, retorted that he is not going to impose any portfolio on the Islamic Action Front in any case, so Shaikh Mansour’s statement is academic. “With all respect to the Action Front as a political party, I am not going to ask them to take part in the government,” Al-Nosour told Sky News.

In response, Shaikh Mansour pointed out that Al-Nosour’s government will be “no different” to previous governments, which all brought the country to the current deadlock. “It will be a traditional government, so it is not welcome.”

The Islamic Action Front is seeking a constitutional amendment regarding who has the right to form the government in Jordan. If chapter 35 of the Constitution is amended so that the largest parliamentary bloc is asked to form the government, said Shaikh Mansour, his party could take part.

When asked about having dialogue with the government, he said that the Action Front is a political party and it seeks to maintain relations with all sides. He added that the party would study the issue of such dialogue if the government suggested it.