In its latest evaluation of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of Jordan (see Resolution 2183 (2017)), the Parliamentary Assembly considered that, even though the reforms were advancing more slowly than planned, some vital reforms had been carried out, as regards both democracy and the scheduled elections, and decentralisation or social affairs (legislation favourable to women). The Assembly considered that Jordan was moving in the right direction and warmly congratulated the country on its efforts to accommodate the high number of refugees from the war Syria in decent conditions (the total amount being estimated to be around 1.3 million at the end of June 2019).
Since the last assessment in 2017, Jordan has continued to face both internal and external challenges. The country has undertaken and pursued reforms in decentralisation, justice and education but has regrettably made little progress in some key areas for the Assembly, such as accession to Council of Europe conventions and partial agreements and most significantly the death penalty. The Jordanian Parliament should intervene with the authorities to stop executions and reinstate the moratorium pending the abolition of the death penalty in the Criminal Code, in line with the expectations indicated by the Assembly upon granting partner for democracy status.
For its part, the Assembly should continue to offer the Jordanian Parliament its full assistance and make a new assessment of the partnership for democracy, a partnership from which “Jordan and Europe have everything to gain” (in the words of Resolution 2183 (2017)).