His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday reiterated that wider public participation in decision-making lies at the core of the reform drive, serving both political and socio-economic purposes.

In a wide-ranging interview with Jordan TV, broadcast during News at Eight, King Abdullah highlighted the country’s need for “a democratic culture that cherishes pluralism based on diversity, dialogue and respect of others’ opinions."

In the interview, conducted by Director General of the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation Ramadan Rawashdeh, the King made reference to his recent decision to direct the government to revisit the Elections Law with the aim of increasing the number of House seats allocated to the national proportional list.

“I have directed the government to amend this piece of legislation to be debated in an extraordinary session of Parliament that will open early next week. Required amendments would see an increase in the number of House seats allocated to the national list, which is a cornerstone in the plan to develop partisan life and platform-based partisan action. It is also necessary to expand the representation base and widen political and popular participation at the national level.”

His Majesty reiterated that the reform process, which he said has seen landmark developments, is genuine and irreversible, urging all political powers, including the Islamists, to compete in the elections to render the effort a success.

“It is important that all political powers participate on the basis of platforms, through parties and alliances, so that we can make a qualitative leap in the mechanism of forming governments and start the actual transformation into parliamentary government,” His Majesty said.

The King said that his philosophy of governance is not based on monopoly over power or resort to force, explaining that the legitimacy of the Hashemites stems from their historical legacy and achievements.

On the economy, the King said the political and economic reform tracks are inseparable. “I believe that expanding the base of public participation in decision-making is the essence of comprehensive reform. We want the individual to be a partner in making the decisions that affect his or her life. This is the basic premise of political reform that will lead us to socio-economic reform.”