US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4189

UNCLAS AMMAN 004189 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KDEM, JO 
SUBJECT: ISLAMIC ACTION FRONT TO PARTICIPATE IN AMMAN 
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, BOYCOTT ALL OTHER POLLS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
1.  The Islamic Action Front (IAF) declared 2 July that it 
would participate in municipal elections on 26 July but only 
for seats in the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM).  IAF plans 
to boycott all other municipal polls. 
 
2.  IAF Secretary-General Hamzeh Mansour announced the 
boycott in protest of the &recent amendment to the Municipal 
Elections Law that permits the Prime Ministry to appoint 
mayors and up to half of municipalities, council members.8 
When questioned over the IAF,s participation in the capital, 
Mansour explained that the GAM election law has, since its 
adoption 16 years ago, provided for the appointment of some 
members.  The only way he foresees changing the law is 
through direct involvement in the capital,s governmental 
affairs.  IAF believes all council members and the mayor of 
GAM should be elected by popular vote and that the current 
structure is &undemocratic.8 
 
3.  Two years ago, GOJ implemented a significant structural 
transformation program targeting municipal governing bodies. 
328 municipalities were merged into 99 larger districts in an 
effort to reduce costs and reform the work-force.  The 
reform-oriented Municipal, Rural, and Environment Affairs 
Minister, Abdul Razzaq Tbeishat, defended the amendment, 
suggesting that it was implemented to connect those 
&qualified to offer citizens efficient municipal services8 
with their elected counterparts. 
 
4.  IAF, the political wing of the pan-Islamic Muslim 
Brotherhood, is the government,s leading opposition party. 
It holds 18 seats in the new 110-member lower house of 
parliament that will convene 15 July.  Two years ago, 80 IAF 
members serving as mayors and council members resigned in 
protest of the government,s merger program. 
 
5.  (SBU)  Comment:  A more likely reason for IAF,s 
participation only in Amman municipality is its relatively 
greater success in Amman in the recent Parliamentary polls. 
IAF did well in Amman races, winning as much as 49 percent of 
the vote, according to some analysts.  It fared far less well 
in rural and tribal areas.  The IAF boycott of municipal 
polls outside Amman is likely designed to make a good showing 
in the capital without risking defeat in the provinces. 
GNEHM