The Ma'an List () is a centre-left political movement and electoral list in Jordan. It has stood on a secular, reformist platform, and has articulated its stances on a variety of social and economic issues. The movement was established in 2016 just before the Jordanian general election held in September of that year. In that general election, the movement's electoral list won two parliamentary seats in the third district of the Jordanian capital, Amman. The two representatives are Kais Zayadin and Khaled Ramadan.
Background Political System and Democracy in Jordan
The political system of Jordan is a parliamentary monarchy based on the constitution of 1952. The head of state is the monarch, King Abdullah II, who has far-reaching powers. The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are appointed by king. Furthermore, the king has the power to declare a state of emergency and retains the power to promulgate and ratify laws, direct the enactment of regulations, ratify treaties and agreements, declare war, conclude peace.Overview of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Legal System and Research Isaias, B and Jennings F. (2013) The monarchy also has right to dissolve and reconvene the parliament.
There is a bicameral parliamentary system in Jordan. The lower house, the House of Representatives, Chamber of Deputies, or Majlis al-Nuwaab, consists of 130 members, elected by universal suffrage, while the upper house of the Senate, House of Notables, or Majlis al-Aayan, comprises 65 members all of whom are appointed by the king.Jordan Factbook CIA World Factbook Within the House of Representatives there are 15 seats reserved for women, and 12 for Christian, Chechen, and Circassian candidates, and the members serve 4 year terms.
Despite the elections that take place, democracy is not one of the basic tenets of system and the king has far-reaching authority in the governance of the country. One of the challenges of democracy in Jordan derives from the electoral system itself. The Jordanian one-person, one-vote version of the single non-transferable voting system was formulated to heavily favour tribal and other narrow interest groups over candidates or parties running on ideological/political platforms.Jordan's elections cannot and will not be democratic - they must be boycotted The Guardian Newspaper, 23 January 2013 The new Election Law of 2015 was intended to alleviate some of these issues, but it has been argued that the system continues to be plagued with problems.A New Chapter in Jordan's Electoral Saga Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 22 October 2015 Additionally, cheating and bribery have been found to take place in elections, for example in the case of the former head of the General Intelligence Directorate, Muhammad Dhahabi.Identity and Corruption in Jordanian Politics Foreign Policy, 9 February 2012 Moreover, the king has influence in the judicial system. The chief justice is appointed by the king, while other judges are nominated by higher council and approved by the king.Government of Jordan Global Edge, Jordan
Though some democratic reforms after the Arab Spring and 2011 protests in Jordan, the king did not lose his authority in the state governance. The wide authority of the king and electoral system continue to be the main obstacles to democracy in Jordan. According to Freedom House, Jordan is ranked as the 4th freest Arab country, and as "partly free" in the Freedom in the World 2017 report.
Secularism in Jordan
The state religion in Jordan is Islam, and 93% of the population is estimated to be Sunni Muslim. The history of secular and leftist politics in Jordan has changed over time. There have been several decades of pro-reform activism over the years but with little effective change.Curtis R. Ryan (2011) Political Opposition and Reform Coalitions in Jordan, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 38:3, 367-390, DOI: 10.1080/13530194.2011.621699, p.367 From the 1950s to the 1970s the strongest opponents to the Hashemite regime were Arab nationalists and leftists, whose organisations and parties were severely repressed during that time.Robert B. Satloff, From Abdullah to Hussein: Jordan in Transition, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994), p.61 As the influence of their ideologies declined in recent years, some groups threw their support behind the state, while others continued to oppose it. By 1988, however, the most potent opposition force had become Islamist groups, along with the "usual suspects" of leftists and Palestinians.Curtis R. Ryan (2011) Political Opposition and Reform Coalitions in Jordan, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 38:3, 367-390, DOI: 10.1080/13530194.2011.621699, p.368 Aside from the Islamist parties, the political parties have often been seen as weak.Curtis R. Ryan (2011) Political Opposition and Reform Coalitions in Jordan, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 38:3, 367-390, DOI: 10.1080/13530194.2011.621699, p.373
Tahir al-Masri's 1991 cabinet heavily represented leftist and secular deputies in order to contain the growing power of Islamists, co-opt moderate Palestinians, and deepen liberalisation processes.Russell E. Lucas, Institutions and the Politics of Survival in Jordan: Domestic Responses to External Challenges, (Albany: SUNY Press, 2005), p.51 This government was toppled over negotiations with Israel, but marked an attempt by the monarchy to neutralise secular forces in Jordanian society.
The government's current position is that a civil state is not the same as a secular state, and that religion should not be detached from the public sphere.Jordan: Islamic or Secular?, Al Ghad Newspaper, 16 Oct 2016
Related Parties and Movements
Historic Movements
There have been a number of political parties and movements in Jordan that have espoused secular, nationalist and progressive aims. Communist parties have existed in Jordan since the country's establishment. The Jordanian Communist Party (JCP) founded in 1951. The party follows Marxist and Leninist ideologies. JCP is considered the oldest and strongly rooted parties in Jordan and had a large following during the 1950s and 60s.W. Z. L, Communism in Jordan, The World Today, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Mar., 1956), 109-119, p.110 However, after suffering ideological cleavages, the party has largely been limited in its scope.Map of Political Parties and Movements in Jordan 2013/14 Identity Centre, p.44
While Arab Nationalist parties in Jordan had often sought to highlight the historical connections between Arabism and Islam, the Ba'ath parties in Jordan took a different stance. They advocated ardently for Arab secularism, and as such, were able to appeal to both Arab religious minorities and Sunni Muslims who wanted a secular state.Kamal S. Salibi, The Modern History of Jordan, (London: IB Taurus, 2006), p.174 Ba’athist parties include the Arab Ba'ath Progressive Party and the Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, both reached official licensing in 1993, though active unofficially since 1947.Map of Political Parties and Movements in Jordan 2013/14, Identity Centre, p.37-43 The Arab Ba’ath Progressive Party seeks the unity of an Arab nation with a strong democracy and the rule of law, while the Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party include a socialist economic model in their aims.Map of Political Parties and Movements in Jordan 2013/14 Identity Centre, p.46 Both parties continue to operate in Jordan though their activities have been limited, for example, participating in the 2011-12 protests.
Contemporary Movements
In the contemporary context, the Jordanian Social Left Movement was established in 2007 to serve as a platform for leftists and democrats from diverse backgrounds. It grew out of the activities of the Dhiban Youth Committee and attracted a high number of leftist and you activists when it was first created.Map of Political Parties and Movements in Jordan 2013/14 Identity Centre, p.18 The movement stated its aims in some of the same areas the Ma'an movement has now taken up, including health, education, taxation, and employment along a broadly left-wing platform.
Hirak refers to the non-traditional political movements that emerged in 2011.Sean L. Yom, Tribal Politics in Contemporary Jordan: The Case of the Hirak Movement The Middle East Journal, Volume 68, Number 2, (2014), pp. 229-247 As the initiators of hirak in Jordan, the Jordanian Social Left Movement's mandate reflected much of the reform desired by left-leaning parties and movements in Jordan, and the movement was one of the first to participate in the protests in 2011. The different movements within hirak were largely fragmented, and therefore struggled to successfully advocate for their reformist agenda. Even so, it increasingly became possible to speak of hirak as a more cohesive, single movement, which formed a left-wing opposition to the government throughout 2011. Since that time, the movement has fragmented due to the domestic and regional political developments.
Other, similar initiatives have also emerged in recent years, including Shaghaf (Youths for an Active Tomorrow) and Taqaddam, demanding a “democratic, progressive, productive, green and secure Jordan”.How a new youth movement is emerging in Jordan ahead of elections, The Washington Post Newspaper, 14 September 2016Taqaddam About These grassroots organizations have diverse aims, rooted in progressive democratisation. In the context of the 2016 general election, Shaghaf sought to position itself as a youth alliance working to ensure that political parties kept their promises in the aftermath of the election.Youth Alliance Aims to Monitor Election Promises The Jordan Times Newspaper, 26 June 2016 Meanwhile, Taqaddam describes itself as a citizen-driven platform working for change to create a "democratic, progressive, productive, green and secure Jordan".
In the parliament there have also been some attempts to promote a more reformist agenda. The legislative block Mubadarah has worked towards such goals, beginning with pressure on the government to give civil rights to the children of Jordanian women married to foreigners.Mubadarah: The Politics of the Possible Venture Magazine, 12 April 2015 As of April 2016, Mubadarah was considering moving towards full political party status.Mubadarah House bloc seeks to evolve into political party, Jordan Times Newspaper, 10 April 2016
History The vision of Ma'an Movement started prior to the general election.Between Regional Premonitions and Outlooks to a New Social Contract in the State, Al-Quds Al-Arabi, 17 September 2016 The list was formed by individuals from a variety of different political backgrounds. It was intended to face the tribal-Islamic coalition through the idea of a civil state and a lack of emphasis on religion. As Kais Zayadin, one of the founders said, “Ma'an was the creation of some people who wanted to change Jordan".Jordan's Youth Movement The Standard, 22 December 2016 The official establishment took place in August 2016 prior to the 2016 general election. On 26 August 2016, the Ma'an movement held an event in the Shmeisani neighbourhood of Amman, in which establishment of the Ma'an electoral list was announced.Ma'an List Launches Election Campaign Al Rai Newspaper, 27 August 2016Celebration to Support the Formation of Ma'an List HKJ Today The event was attended by more than 4,000 people, including many young people.The Opening of the Electoral List Ma'an Ain Badia News, 29 August 2016 In the event the leaders outlined their position, which included freedom and dignity for all, as well as justice among all members of society, including men and women.Large Rally for Launch of Ma'an List Jafra News, 2 October 2016