Jordan’s Brotherhood to boycott government

Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood has formally refused to participate in any national government, rejecting deals to appease the movement that decided to boycott the January 23 parliamentary elections. Deputy Supreme Guide of Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood Zaki Bin Arsheed told Arabstoday that the Islamic movement would also boycott the newly-appointed Senate along with any other "formal institutions of the country." The leading member of the Islamic movement called on the Jordanian government to adopt a serious reform approach to meet the demands of the people. He stressed that public demonstrations would resume during the coming period to protest against the regime's policies. Arsheed’s statement coincided with statements made by the Supreme Guide of Muslim Brotherhood Hamam Said who stressed that their participation in the government would contradict with their commitments. He said that only a specific reform agenda would pave the way for the Islamic group to participate in the government. Muslim Brotherhood wants the government to draft a democratic elections law, conduct constitutional reforms, form a parliamentarian government, ensure the independence of judiciary, establish a constitutional court, curb the political role of the security authorities, and combat corruption.