Amman, April 1 (Petra) – A dialogue series on the local administration draft law began on Wednesday at the Prime Ministry with a meeting with the Union of Centrist Parties Parliamentary Bloc.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan told the meeting that the Royal Letter of Designation to the government is clear-cut on proceeding with the political modernization project and developing local administration as the second priority in this system.

Progress in the democratic approach is fundamental to this effort through a national dialogue to review the legislation governing the work of municipalities and Governorate Councils ahead of the upcoming elections, he stressed.

The local administration law's aim is to empower municipal councils to fulfill their responsibilities, while establishing mechanisms for oversight, evaluation, and accountability, said Hassan.

This will ensure best practices that serve citizens and enhance participation, he said, adding "we must be absolutely clear on responsibilities and duties."

The prime minister said municipalities are the cornerstone of local development, and the government is committed to reactivating and strengthening their role through this legislation. He emphasized that an effective representation of youth and women in these councils is essential, and it will be reinforced in the new law.

Hassan said the government will take measures needed to govern local administration, enhance the efficiency of its staff, and automate services to improve essential services for citizens, as previously committed in its response to the Royal Letter of Designation.

The new draft law, he said, will focus on three key areas "we aspire to enhance and improve": Governance and management of municipalities, through the establishment of a clear legislative framework governing the relationship between the municipal council, the executive branch, and citizens, achieving financial and administrative discipline, and a focus on improving the quality of services to citizens, particularly in the governorates.

He noted that a large portion of municipalities' problems is administrative, emphasizing the need for legislation to put an end to wasta (nepotism), which has curtailed municipalities' role and financial sustainability, contributing to increased debt, waste, and administrative inefficiency that has prevailed for many years.

The prime minister also stressed the need to focus on providing services with efficiency, fairness, and transparency, adding that digital transformation is essential to achieving that goal.

He said the dialogue on the draft legislation is institutionally ongoing with parliamentary blocs, relevant civil society organizations and institutions, and in the governorates, in cooperation with MPs. It is aimed at reaching the highest possible consensus on the draft law's wording, building upon previous discussions and dialogues with MPs and relevant civil society organizations, before submitting it to Parliament this year, he added.

For his part, the Minister of Local Administration Walid Al-Masri presented key pillars and points of the new draft law, which were reached through discussions and dialogues conducted in the past months. These included meetings with MPs and relevant parties, adding that the government is open to any ideas and proposals to improve the draft law.

Also during the meeting, head of the Union of Centrist Parties Parliamentary Bloc, MP Zuhair Khashman, and members of the bloc aired thoughts and proposals to develop the draft law in various aspects to improve local administration and municipal work and enhance services to citizens.

Attending the meeting were Minister of Public Works and Housing Maher Abu Al-Samin, Minister of Government Communication, Muhammad Momani, Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul-Munim Oudat, and Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs, Abdul-Latif Najdawi.

//Petra//SS

01/04/2026 18:32:33