AMMAN - Tens of leftist youth activists demonstrated outside Parliament on Wednesday, calling for the dissolution of the Lower House, claiming that deputies have “lost their credibility” with the public.

In a protest held under the motto “The solution is dissolution”, some 40 participants said the dissolution of the 16th Parliament was a “logical” next step following the resignation of former prime minister Samir Rifai,

Lawmakers have became a target of criticism along with the Rifai cabinet in peaceful protests over the past few weeks, particularly for giving the outgoing government a historic 111 votes of confidence out of 119 deputies.

Activists yesterday called on the government to formulate a new, “modern” elections law and to carry out parliamentary elections that “reflect the people’s will and aspirations”.

“The Lower House is null and void… the Political Parties Law is null and void,” chanted demonstrators at the sit-in, which was organised by the youth office of the leftist Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party (Wihda).

Wihda and the Islamic Action Front (IAF) boycotted November’s parliamentary elections, saying that the one-person, one-vote system in the temporary Elections Law favours tribal candidates at the expense of political party-affiliated figures.

Since his designation as premier last week, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit was quoted by MPs as saying the party list system will be an option as the new government tailors a new elections law.

But 24-year-old Fidaa Al Zagha, who took part in yesterday’s sit-in, expressed doubt whether the new government and the current Lower House would be sincere in changing the electoral system.

“These are all slogans, but what actually happens is a different story,” Zagha told The Jordan Times, highlighting irregularities that occurred in the 2007 parliamentary elections, which were held under Bakhit’s previous term as premier.

Fakher Daas, Wihda youth activist, said the fact that the existing Lower House gave a record vote of confidence to the previous government less than two months before Rifai’s resignation serves as proof that MPs are “unable to lead any political reform”.

MP Abdul Nasser Bani Hani (Irbid, 1st District), who met the protesters, said deputies are listening to people’s concerns.

“We are with all the people that call for legitimate demands, and we agree with Parliament’s dissolution if it is in the country’s interest,” he said.

He cautioned that “some voices are calling for the dissolution of the Lower House for their own agendas”, refusing to elaborate further.

Political analyst and columnist Oraib Rantawi said dissolving Parliament would have to be accompanied by a “package deal” that involves amending several laws governing the Kingdom’s political life, such as the political parties and the public gatherings laws.

“If Parliament was dissolved only to appease frustrated people like it was with the previous Lower House, this would be imprudent,” Rantawi told The Jordan Times over the phone yesterday.

Although the youth branches of the IAF and the Baathist Party were to take part in yesterday’s sit-in, according to a previous announcement by Wihda organisers, none of the supporters of the two parties showed up.

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