Hraparak: Syunik Governor refuses to say whom he will support in elections
11:36 03/03/2012 » Daily press review
The selection of candidates for parliamentary elections in
constituency No.37 in Syunik is still under way, Hraparak reports.
A Hraparak reporter phoned Syunik Governor Surik Khachatryan to ask
him whom he will support in the elections.
`Why do you care about whom I will support?’ asked the Governor and
disconnected the call.
Source: Panorama.am
From: Baghdasarian
Human Rights Watch: Azerbaijan destroys people’s lives
16:58 01/03/2012 » Law
The government of Azerbaijan has forcibly evicted homeowners and
demolished their homes for urban development projects in Baku, the
capital, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
The report, “They Took Everything from Me’: Forced Evictions,
Unlawful Expropriations, and House Demolitions in Azerbaijan’s
Capital,’ documents the authorities’ illegal expropriation of
properties and forcible evictions of dozens of families in four Baku
neighborhoods, at times without warning or in the middle of the night.
The authorities subsequently demolished homes, sometimes with
residents’ possessions inside.
The government has refused to provide homeowners fair compensation for
the properties, many of which are in highly desirable locations.
Azerbaijani law stipulates that market value should be paid in
compensation for a forced sale.
`The Azerbaijani government is not just demolishing homes, it’s
destroying peoples’ lives,’ said Jane Buchanan, senior Europe and
Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of the
report. `It should immediately stop illegal expropriations, evictions,
and demolitions and compensate the people who have been evicted for
both the loss of their homes and emotional suffering.’
Source: Panorama.am
From: Baghdasarian
Zaman, Turkey
March 4 2012
French farmers relieved as thorny genocide bill vetoed
Michel Manoury (Photo: Today’s Zaman)
4 March 2012 / EMRE DEMÄ°R , PARÄ°S
When a parliamentary bill that intended to criminalize denying the
killing of Armenians in what is today eastern Turkey in 1915 was
struck down for being unconstitutional, those thrilled were not only
Turks but French farmers engaged in animal husbandry who were equally,
if not more, excited as they feared losing their lucrative trade with
Turkey because of politics.
`We have already experienced difficult days because of the economic
crisis and we were just about to lose one of our biggest [export]
markets due to that bill,’ said Michel Manoury, a member of the
farmers’ union Coordination Rurale (CR or Rural Coordination) when
Today’s Zaman asked how he felt when he first heard about the bill.
The French had already accepted long ago that the killing of Armenians
at the hands of Ottomans almost a hundred years ago was tantamount to
genocide but the western European country’s parliament recently
approved another bill to make denying that such a genocide occurred a
criminal offence despite the threat of economic sanctions from Turkey.
The bill came under heavy pressure from human rights organizations
since it was deemed an obstacle to freedom of thought and expression.
It was later overruled by the French Constitutional Council.
Turkey responds to the allegations saying that the killings were not
ordered by the central administration; rather, they were the work of
individuals who were angered by Armenian gangs’ killings of Muslim
civilians, in what is today eastern Turkey, while the territory was
under the threat of a Russian invasion. France today sells some 16,000
livestock to Turkey each month and earns some 1.2 billion euros ($1.58
billion) in revenue from those sales to the Turkish market per year. A
number of farmers’ unions, including Manoury’s CR and the national
cattle association Fédération Nationale Bovine (FNB or National Bovine
Federation) issued statements after it became apparent that the bill
was to be approved by both houses of the French parliament. Turkey’s
Ambassador to Paris Tahsin BurcuoÄ?lu confirmed that Turkey’s efforts
received the biggest sympathy and support from livestock breeders in
the country. For Manoury, it is very clear that Sarkozy is so
adamantly behind the bill to gain far-right votes as well as the votes
of a few hundred thousand Armenians living in the country. `If the
Turkish government had closed its customs to French cattle imports, we
could have done nothing about it. If the French livestock breeding
sector is not in a crisis, this is thanks to Turkey,’ he said. Senator
Nathalie Goulet who recently voted against the bill also confirmed
that French farmers’ support for Turkey’s cause against the bill. She
told Today’s Zaman that their support was one indication of how big
Turkey’s economy is and that `France avoided a big mistake [when the
bill was overruled].’
From: Baghdasarian
Iran, Armenia form joint working group to probe Aras River pollution
Tehran, March 4, IRNA – Iran and Armenia have decided to form a joint
working group to probe Aras River pollution.
The decision was made in a meeting between Head of Iran’s Department
of Environment, Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh and Armenian Minister of
Environment Aram Harutyunyan in Tehran on Sunday.
Both sides agreed to form the working group to identify and contain
sources of pollution on both banks of the Aras River.
Congratulating the 20th anniversary of establishment of Iran-Armenia
diplomatic relations, Mohammadizadeh described the common interest and
will of the two countries’ leaders as a good basis for expansion of
mutual relations.
Both sides signed an agreement on environment-related issues.
1378**1412
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 80022964
From: Baghdasarian
Assemblyman Gatto Meets with NKR Representative Robert Avetisyan, and
Relatives of Armenians Killed in Karabakh Massacres
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
Sacramento, CA – At the State Capitol, Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los
Angeles) met with Robert Avetisyan, the United States Representative
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Mr. Avetisyan is in California from
Washington, D.C., on the solemn anniversary of the massacres of the
Armenian people in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
`It is with a heavy heart that Mr. Avetisyan and I met,’ said the
Assemblyman, `but I am proud of the work that we are doing to draw
attention to the heinous crimes that have been committed against the
Armenian people in Karabakh.’
Assemblyman Gatto, along with Assemblymembers Katcho Achadjian (R-San
Luis Obispo) and Felipe Fuentes (D-Sylmar), introduced Assembly
Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 96, which designates today, February 27,
2012, as Day of Remembrance for the Massacres of Armenians in Sumgait,
Kirovabad, and Baku. The resolution calls on Californians to promote
greater tolerance in the region, and to ensure the peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, while protecting the security of
Armenians in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
Although it was a busy day for the Assemblyman, Gatto spent time with
Mr. Avetisyan and nearly 30 others to discuss the historical
significance of the day, and the effects the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
has had on the Armenian people. `We must never forget the innocent
lives that were lost in the course of this conflict,’ commented Gatto,
`Mr. Avetisyan is here today in their memory, and I gladly stand next
to him to do the same.’
From: Baghdasarian
SOUMGAÏT
Paris : L’Hommage aux victimes
Les 26 et 27 février, la communauté arménienne a rendu un vibrant
hommage aux victimes des sauvages pogroms perpétrés à Soumgaït fin
février 1988.
Une messe a été célébrée par Monseigneur Norvan Zakarian en la
Cathédrale apostolique Saint-Jean Baptiste de la rue Jean Goujon,
suivie d’un dépôt de gerbes au Mémorial Komitas, jardin d’Erevan.
Le 27 février, en présence de Madame Nariné Aghabalian, Ministre la
Culture de la République du Haut-Karabagh, de François Rochebloine et
des personnalités représentatives des français d’origine arménienne a
eu lieu un meeting à la Mairie du 9ème arrdt de Paris.
Document EUArmeniaTV Paris
dimanche 4 mars 2012,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com
From: Baghdasarian
POLITICIANS IN UNTENABLE SITUATIONS
by Semih Idiz
Hurriyet Daily News
March 2 2012
Turkey
The decision by France’s highest legal authority, which declared
that the law aiming to penalize denial of the Armenian genocide was
unconstitutional, is not a “victory for Turkey.” If anything, there
are important lessons to be drawn from this decision, pertaining to
how the separation of powers works in an advanced democracy. With a
judiciary that looks increasingly like it is serving the political
authority, this is a very timely lesson for Turkey.
The decision of the French Constitutional Council is a victory for
the freedom of expression and the principles that guide Europe. To
criticize Turkey over the freedom of expression while trying to
violate this principle at home for the sake of political gain is
an inconsistency that the highest legal authority in France did
not permit.
Of course, President Sarkozy immediately asked his government to
pen a new version of the law, which will somehow circumvent the
Constitutional Council’s ruling. A statement from his office, on
the other hand, said “The President of the Republic considers that
(genocide) denial is intolerable and must therefore be punished.”
These are remarks which many former subjects of French colonization
are also no doubt happy to hear.
Meanwhile, Socialist leader Francois Hollande, a presidential contender
in the upcoming elections, also promised to reintroduce the law if
elected. Many say that he too is eyeing the Armenian-French vote,
even if this is what he accuses Sarkozy of doing.
Both men have thus landed in an untenable position, because once we
machete through the verbiage a simple truth emerges. As politicians
they have to find a way to violate their constitution if the new
law is to have the same weight as the one annulled. At this stage,
their battle is no longer with Turkey and Turks – which both clearly
feel antipathy towards – but with the law of their own land.
Meanwhile both have to go against the grain of the strong opinions
declared on this score by major Western papers, thinkers, politicians
and watchdog groups that are concerned with freedoms. All have said
the French law punishing the denial of the Armenian genocide was a
violation of the inviolable principle of freedom of expression.
Hollande may be “playing the field” of course when he says he will
reintroduce the law if elected, but it is clear Sarkozy is faced
with a political fiasco such as he has not known before, and which
his political opponents in France are already using against him.
What makes it worse for him is the unexpectedly large number of
French deputies of the French Parliament, including members from his
own party, who took the law to the constitutional court to have it
annulled. He has thus landed in the position of a president who is
not aware of the limitations the Constitution of his country imposes
on crass politicking.
If he was aware of these limitations, why would he have painted
himself into such a corner at such a politically sensitive time?
Sarkozy is now trying to recoup his losses by using scare tactics
and claiming that a door has been opened which will also undermine
the law that penalizes Holocaust denial.
But even deputies from his party say these are separate issues, since
there is an international legal ruling on the Holocaust, enabling the
law in France, while there is no such ruling concerning the events
of 1915.
After the statements of Sarkozy and Hollande, Ankara is not prepared
to drop its guard against France just yet. But before we have a new
bout of debilitating acrimony between the two countries, it looks
like whoever brings this denial law to the agenda again will have to
overcome obstacles at home first. Hopefully, sense will prevail in
the intervening period.
From: Baghdasarian
5,000 ARMENIANS RALLY FOR FAIR MAY VOTE
Agence France Presse
March 1, 2012 Thursday 4:58 PM GMT
Some 5,000 opposition supporters rallied in the Armenian capital
Thursday to demand fair elections in May that could give the
anti-government coalition its first parliament seats.
“We demand the May 6 parliamentary elections to be free and fair,”
said Levon Zurabian, one of the leaders of the Armenian National
Congress opposition bloc.
The bloc led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosian wants to use
the upcoming parliamentary polls as a springboard to oust incumbent
Armenian leader Serzh Sarkisian. The group currently has no seats
in parliament.
“These elections are a means to get rid of Sarkisian’s regime,”
Zurabian told AFP.
Complaining of alleged institutional corruption and democratic failings
in the impoverished former Soviet republic, the bloc won several
concessions from the authorities after a series of rallies last year.
Held on Yerevan’s central Liberty Square, the rally also marks the
anniversary of post-election clashes between protesters and police
in 2008 that left 10 people dead.
Armenia has been through political and military turmoil since
independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, with a series of disputed
elections and a war with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the region of
Nagorny Karabakh.
From: Baghdasarian
ARMENIAN ECONOMY STARTS 2012 WITH SLOWING GDP EXPANSION, STALLING EXPORT GROWTH
Global Insight
March 1, 2012
According to the monthly indicator of economic activity published by
the Armenian Statistical Service, the economy in January expanded
by 4.4% year-on-year (y/y). This growth rate marks weakening
compared with the December 2011 gain of 6.1% y/y. Meanwhile,
economic activity contracted to less than half of its level in
December. Agricultural output remained virtually stable in annul
comparison, while construction activity only managed to expand by a
marginal rate of 0.5% y/y. Conversely, the industrial sector managed
to perform better, expanding by 21% y/y. In addition, it was reported
that exports from Armenia started the year on a weak note, edging up
by just 0.4% y/y, while imports gained 6.6% y/y. These developments
resulted in a trade deficit of USD202.9 million. In addition, ARKA News
reports on further details from the Statistical Service, noting that
exports of non-precious metals in January fell by around 15% y/y, while
exports of mining products fell by 7.7% y/y, whereas those of precious
and semi-precious metals more than doubled in annual comparison.
The first estimates of economic growth for 2011 as a whole put
expansion at 5.9%, somewhat above expectations. Meanwhile, exports
over the whole of last year rose by 28%, while imports increased
by 11%, producing a trade deficit of around 26% of GDP (seeArmenia:
1 February 2012:).
Significance:The first data on economic activity in 2012 continue
to signal a sharp downturn in the construction sector, as well as
continued marked strength of industrial production. Generally, the
data fairly well fit IHS Global Insight’s near-term outlook for the
economy; we expect economic expansion this year to decelerate, while
still remaining respectable, at around 3%. The projections count on
a fairly strong harvest, reasonably well performing service sector,
and persistently high metal prices, at least in the first half of the
year. The latter will boost export values and support the industrial
sector. Given the importance of remittances for the country, however,
the uncertainty related to the external environment also poses risks
to the Armenian economic performance.
From: Baghdasarian
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN IRAN AND OTHER REGIONAL COUNTRIES
Tehran Times
Political Desk
On Line: 01 March 2012 15:55
In Print: Friday 02 March 2012
On the eve of the 9th parliamentary election to elect members of the
Islamic Consultative â~@~NAssembly (Majlis)
The upcoming parliamentary election in Iran, which is scheduled to be
held on â~@~NMarch 2, is the 30th time in the history of the Islamic
Revolution that the people â~@~Nhave cast their votes to determine
their own destiny. â~@~N
Over the past 33 years, the Islamic system has successfully held 29
elections, namely, 10 presidential elections, eight parliamentary
elections, four â~@~Nelections to select members of the Assembly
of Experts, three â~@~Nelections to select the members of Islamic
Councils in the cities and â~@~Nvillages, two referendums on the
Constitution, one election to designate â~@~Nconstitutional experts,
and one referendum to determine the political system of â~@~Nthe
country. Thus, the parliamentary election on March 2 will be the
â~@~Nâ~@~N30th democratic election held since the victory of the
Islamic Revolution of Iran in â~@~Nâ~@~N1979. â~@~N
Position of Majlis
The Majlis is the main pillar of the legislative branch in Iran.
Legislation â~@~Nratified by the Majlis must be approved by the
Guardian Council, and then the administration and the Judiciary
are notified.
The parliament is totally â~@~Nindependent of other branches
of government, and no one has the right to â~@~Ndissolve the
parliament. â~@~N
As stipulated in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran,
in articles 62 and 63, Majlis Shoraye Eslami (Islamic Parliament of
Iran) is constituted by the people’s â~@~Nrepresentatives elected
directly and by secret ballot. The term of membership of â~@~Nthe
Islamic parliament of Iran is four years. The election for each term
must take â~@~Nplace before the end of the preceding term, so that
the country is never without â~@~Na parliament. â~@~N
The parliament can dismiss cabinet ministers through no-confidence
â~@~Nvotes and can impeach the president for misconduct in office.â~@~N
The Zoroastrians and Jews are each represented by one MP. The
â~@~NAssyrian and Chaldean Christians jointly elect one representative,
and â~@~NArmenian Christians in the north and the south each
elect one â~@~Nrepresentative. According to the provisions of the
Constitution, the Islamic parliament of Iran is currently composed
of 290 members.â~@~N
Statistics
Over 48,288,799 Iranian voters are eligible to cast their ballots in
the 9th â~@~Nparliamentary election. Out of this figure, 3,960,000
voters will be eligible to cast ballots â~@~Nfor the first time. Of the
about 75 million people of Iran, all men and women over â~@~Nâ~@~N18
years of age having a valid ID card are eligible to vote, and there is
no â~@~Nother precondition such as having special ballot cards. â~@~N
During the registration period, 5,405 people signed up at the Interior
Ministry to â~@~Nstand as candidates, and 3,444 of them were approved
to compete as candidates for â~@~N 290 seats in the Majlis. Iran’s
Guardian Council has taken into consideration â~@~Nall parties and
groups in the vetting of candidates. Nearly 10 percent of the vetted
â~@~Ncandidates are women. Based on a bill ratified in the current
Majlis and â~@~Nendorsed by the Guardian Council, the candidates
should have a master’s degree or a qualification that is equivalent
to a master’s degree.
The candidates must be over 30 years old and not older than 74. The
number of polling â~@~Nstations in Iran is 47,665. Campaigning for
the parliamentary election officially started on February 23 and
ended at 8:00 on March 1.â~@~N
The voter turnout in the previous eight parliamentary elections ranged
between 51 to 71 percent. The â~@~NInterior Ministry’s own figures
indicated a national turnout of 52 percent and more â~@~Nthan 30
percent in Tehran in the parliamentary election of 2008, which is
â~@~Nroughly equivalent to the 2004 turnout. An average of 8 to 16
female candidates have been â~@~Nselected by voters in the previous
parliamentary elections.â~@~N
Election campaign in Tehran
According to the figures released by Tehran’s provincial office,
5,400,000 â~@~Npeople are eligible to vote and 699 candidates will
compete in Tehran Province. â~@~NIn the capital city of Tehran, which
is the political nerve center of the â~@~Ncountry and the largest
constituency, 555 candidates will compete for 30 â~@~Nparliament
seats. â~@~N
Many of the candidates in Tehran have come to the election without any
â~@~Naffiliation to political groups or parties. However, Iran’s two
major â~@~Npolitical parties, principlists and reformists, have both
formed coalitions â~@~Nto gain more votes in the upcoming election. The
main lists released by the â~@~Nprinciplist bloc are the United Front
of Principlists, the Resistance Front, the Voice â~@~Nof the Nation,
the Resilience Front, the Insight and Islamic Awakening Front, and
the Supporters â~@~Nof Velayat. Reformists have also formed their
coalitions, including Mardomsalari (Democracy) Front, the Labor
Coalition, and the Popular â~@~NFront of Reformists. â~@~N
Candidates are allowed to be on various lists, and there are no
restrictions in this regard according to the law. In the previous
rounds, most of the selected representatives for the Tehran
constituency were members of political coalitions, and independent
candidates had little chance to win parliamentary seats.
Elections in other regional countries
The Islamic Republic of Iran is located in a region where most of
the countries are either politically unable to hold elections or
are ruled by monarchs and ruling families. Parliaments in these
countries are mostly symbolic and have no impact on the political
life of the people. A short review of election processes in these
countries helps us better understand the importance of democratic
structures in the region.
Saudi Arabia
The country has been ruled by an absolute monarchy since 1932, and
there are no political parties, elected parliaments, or referendums.
Saudi Arabia is under the full control of the Al Saud family and
remains the only Arab nation where no national elections have ever
been held since its creation. In 1992, King Fahd established the
first Consultative Council. The only function of the council is to
consult the King on national security and military issues. Members
of the council are directly appointed by the King every four years.
Since 2005, people have been invited to cast their ballots to decide
on 50 percent of the seats of local councils. Only 1,080,000 voters
participated in the second round of the elections in 2011. According
to the King’s decree, women will have the right to participate in
the third round of the elections in 2015. The local councils have no
executive power in Saudi Arabia, and their sole function is to give
recommendations to the municipalities.
The United Arab Emirates
The UAE’s political system, which is composed of several intricately
connected governing bodies, is based on its 1971 Constitution. As a
federation of seven monarchies, whose rulers retain absolute power
within their emirates, but with a UAE president, it is neither a
constitutional monarchy nor a republic.
The legislature is the Federal National Council, which consists of 40
members drawn from all the emirates. Half are appointed by the rulers
of the constituent emirates and the other half are indirectly elected
to serve two-year terms. The first indirect elections took place in
2006. The council scrutinizes and amends proposed legislation but
cannot prevent it from becoming law.
The second round of elections was held in 2011 in the wake of the
recent developments in the Arab world, in which only 130,000 people
of the 8 million eligible voters were selected by the government to
participate in the election. Only one third of the selected people
cast ballots.
Qatar
Qatar has an unelected, monarchic, emirate-type government. There
are no democratic institutions or elections, and power is assumed
on a hereditary basis. The discretionary system of law is totally
controlled by the Emir. The country has a parliament that is composed
of ordinary citizens representing every populated area in Qatar.
The current Qatari parliament is unelected in nature.
In the wake of the recent developments in the Arab world, the
government aims to project a more pious image ahead of the country’s
first election of a royal advisory body in 2013.
Bahrain
Bahrain is a Constitutional monarchy headed by the King. Based on
the Constitution, three branches of government are supposed to act
independently. However, they are under the direct control of the King.
Bahrain has a bicameral National Assembly (al-Jamiyah al-Watani)
consisting of the Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura) with 40 seats and
the Council of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwab) with 40 seats. The 40
members of the Shura Council are appointed by the King. In the Council
of Representatives, the 40 members are elected by absolute majority
vote in single-member constituencies to serve four-year terms. The
Shura Council has the authority to revoke the ratifications of the
Council of Representatives.
So far, four rounds of elections have been held in Bahrain, in 1973,
2002, 2006, 2010. However, based on the election law, the majority
Shia population can only have 18 seats in the parliament. The people
again protested against this during the recent popular uprising,
and 18 Shia lawmakers resigned their posts. The election was also
boycotted by the people.
Kuwait
Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy and has the oldest directly
elected parliament among the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
Legislative power is vested in the Emir and the National Assembly
in accordance with the Constitution. The Emir of Kuwait can dissolve
the National Assembly and call a national election, or, in cases of
national emergency, can dismiss the National Assembly outright and
assume supreme authority over the country.
The National Assembly consists of 50 elected members, who are chosen
in elections held every four years. Any amendment to the Constitution
can be proposed by the Emir, but it needs to be approved by more
than two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly before being
implemented.
There have been several conflicts between the emir, the government,
and the National Assembly over various policies. The National Assembly
was suspended from 1976 to 1981, from 1986 to 1991, and from May 1999
to July 1999, due to irresolvable conflicts between some members of
the government and the Assembly. The Assembly was dissolved again
in May 2009 by the emir, leading to the resignation of the prime
minister. Nationwide elections were held on May 16, 2009.
Until 2005, women had no right to participate in the parliamentary
elections. In the elections on May 16, 2009, 16 female candidates
contested for 50 seats for a four-year term. Four female candidates
won seats and became Kuwait’s first female lawmakers.
Oman
Oman is an absolute monarchy. The head of state and government is the
hereditary sultan, Qaboos bin Said Al Said. He rose to power after
overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur, in a palace coup in 1970.
In the early 1990s, the sultan instituted an elected council, the
Consultative Assembly of Oman. It had advisory roles until 2011,
when Sultan Qaboos decided to give legislative powers to the council,
allowing the newly elected parliament to question ministers, propose
laws, and suggest changes to government regulations.
The Council of Oman is a bicameral parliament, made up of members of
the State Council and Consultation Council as stipulated in Article
58 of the Basic Law of the State. It is considered to be the main
parliament in Oman. It assists the government in drawing up the
general policies of the state. The Council meets, at the request of
Sultan Qaboos, to study and discuss matters raised by him, making
all its decisions on the basis of a majority vote. Sultan Qaboos
addresses all the members of this Council on an annual basis. There
are 15 women members (14 of whom are in the State Council) among the
167 members of the parliament.
Oman’s State Consultative Council, established in 1981, consists
of 55 appointed representatives of government, the private sector,
and regional interests.
Until recent years, only a limited number of citizens were allowed
to participate in elections. There is no active political party in
the country.
Jordan
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy with an
appointed government. The reigning monarch is the chief executive
and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The King exercises
his executive authority through the prime minister and the Council
of Ministers or cabinet. The King signs and executes all laws.
The parliament consists of two Chambers: The Chamber of Deputies
(Majlis al-Nuwab) and the Senate (Majlis al-Ayan, literally Assembly
of Notables). The Senate has 60 senators, all of whom are directly
appointed by the King, while the Chamber of Deputies/House of
Representatives has 120 elected members representing 12 constituencies.
The Constitution does not provide a strong system of checks and
balances within which the Jordanian parliament can assert its role
in relationship to the monarch. During the suspension of parliament
between 2001 and 2003, the scope of King Abdullah II’s power was
demonstrated with the passing of 110 temporary laws. Two of these
laws dealt with election law and were seen to reduce the power of
parliament.
Senators have terms of four years and are appointed by the King and
can be reappointed.
Syria
The recent amendment to the Constitution of Syria provides a better
position for parliament in the country. The People’s Council (Majlis
al-Sha’ab) is Syria’s legislative authority. It has 250 members
elected for a four-year term in 15 multi-seat constituencies. The
presidential candidate is appointed by the parliament and needs to
be confirmed for a seven-year term in a referendum.
Parliamentary elections were held in Syria on April 22, 2007.
According to results released on April 26, 2007, the National
Progressive Front won 169 seats, while independents won the other 81
seats. Turnout was 56.12 percent of the 11.96 million eligible voters,
and 30 female candidates were elected, exactly as many as in 2003.
A constitutional referendum was held in Syria on February 26, 2012.
The new Constitution would set a limit of two seven-year terms for
future presidents and also removed Article 8 of the Constitution of
Syria, which stated, “The Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party leads the state
and society.” The text eliminates the Ba’ath party monopoly over the
political life of Syria.
Iraq
In 2003, Saddam Hussein was forcibly removed from power during the
Iraq war. In March 2004, a governing council set up by the Coalition
Provisional Authority signed an interim constitution, which called
for the election of a transitional National Assembly no later than
the end of January 2005.
Elections for the transitional National Assembly (Al
Jamiya-Al-Wataniya) took place on January 30, 2005. The 275-member
National Assembly was a parliament created under the Transitional
Law during the occupation of Iraq. It was the first free election in
Iraq’s history, with a fair representation of all groups.
The new law has increased the size of the council from 275 to 325
members, equal to one seat per 100,000 citizens, as stipulated in
the Constitution of Iraq.
Under the permanent Constitution approved on October 15, 2005,
legislative authority is vested in two bodies, the Council of
Representatives and the Council of Union.
The Council of Representatives of Iraq has the same name in Arabic
(Majlis al-Nuwab) as the main elected body of representatives in Iraq.
It is currently composed of 325 seats and meets in Baghdad inside
the International Zone (Green Zone).
The Council of Union or Federation Council (Majlis al-Ittihad)
will consist of representatives from Iraq’s regions. Its precise
composition and responsibilities are not defined in the Constitution
and will be determined by the Council of Representatives.
Other countries of the region
In other countries neighboring Iran, such as Afghanistan, elections
have been held under the control of the occupation forces, and the
tightened security measures adopted by officials have prevented sound
elections from being held for parliament.
Pakistan and Turkey both have powerful parliaments, and there is
always considerable competition for parliamentary seats in these
countries. However, the presidents of the two countries have the
authority to dissolve parliament and military officials often interfere
in politics.
The latest developments in the Arab world and the popular uprisings
in certain countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya have paved
the way for greater participation by the people and political parties
in politics and the establishment of parliaments, which can have a
positive impact on the destiny of the people.
From: Baghdasarian