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Tough times call for tough measures. And faced with disenchanted citizens protesting for immediate reforms, King Abdullah II of Jordan turned to Dr. Marouf Suleiman al-Bakhit. Al-Bakhit was appointed Prime Minister on February 1, 2011 after weeks of protests led to the sacking of former Prime Minister Samir Rifai, the scapegoat for anger over a rise in fuel and food prices, and poor political reforms.
Al-Bakhit is no stranger to the task of damage control. When Jordan received a bad jolt in 2005 with the bombings in its capital city, Amman, al-Bakhit was again the person appointed Prime Minister, with the promise of restoring security and stability on the streets of Jordan. Back then, Al-Bakhit’s military background proved helpful in tackling the crisis situation and it is hoped these strengths will help him this time around too.
Hailing from Jordan's Al-Abbadi tribe, the 63-year old al-Bakhit is highly educated, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in General Management and Political Science from the University of Jordan. He went on to secure a Master's degree in Management from the University of Southern California, and a PhD in War Studies from King's College London. Al-Bakhit joined the Jordanian Armed Forces in 1964, and graduated from the Royal Military College in 1966 as Second Lieutenant. At the end of three decades of service, he became Major General, finally retiring from the Armed Forces in 1999 to enter the political scene.
Al-Bakhit’s first stint as Prime Minister started in November, 2005, less than three weeks after the 2005 Amman bombings. The responsibility for the bombings was claimed by ‘al-Qaida in Iraq’, and the series of coordinated bomb attacks on three hotels in Amman resulted in the death of 60 people, with several left injured. Having previously handled the difficult positions of Jordanian Ambassador to Israel and National Security Chief of Jordan, al-Bakhit was able to take charge and ensure safety for Jordanians. But the intrigue of politics posed a different challenge all together. In 2007, Al-Bakhit’s attempt to get the parliament to pass reforms was marred by accusations of rigged local and parliamentary elections, and he stepped down.
Now, Islamists have been quick to criticize al-Bakhit’s re-appointment. Seen as a moderate politician, Marouf al-Bakhit heads the new 27 member Cabinet, made up of a coalition of leftist unionists, a former Muslim Brotherhood member, and a popular woman activist. The Muslim Brotherhood, Jordan's largest opposition group, and its political wing, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), have started mounting pressure on the new government, pressing for immediate changes. Sheikh Hamza Mansour, head of the IAF stated, "al-Bakhit is a security man, a former army general and ex-intelligence official. He doesn't believe in democracy.” During a protest near the Prime Minister's office in Amman in February, some Jordanian youth joined forces with 150 Front members and their leftist allies calling for al-Bakhit to step down. The fact is, though, there are no senior politicians in Jordan with the kind of qualifications and sound foreign policy experience that brand al-Bakhit.
But there are underlying currents to the Islamist opposition groups’ rejection of al-Bakhit’s leadership. Al-Bakhit, like King Abdullah II, supports strong ties with the United States, Jordan's largest aid donor and long-term ally, and wants to respect the 1994 Jordan-Israel peace treaty. The Brotherhood and the leftists oppose these policies, and the Brotherhood actually advocates the introduction of the strict Islamic sharia law, close relations with Muslim nations and Israel's destruction. This clash was obvious when al-Bakhit recently sanctioned the building of Jordan's first casino, which the Brotherhood strongly opposed on the grounds that it violated Islamic principles and promoted vice. The project was canceled later on.
“I'm not opting for a temporary containment policy; real reform is a gradual process.”
- Marouf Suleiman al-Bakhit, 2011
Now the turmoil in this desert monarchy has led to the Islamists and independent liberal groups urging for further constitutional changes to curb the extensive power of the king, and prevent him from appointing cabinets, approving legislation and dissolving parliament. Demanding political change, lower food prices and more jobs in Jordan, the street demonstrators have been largely peaceful and the crowds are much smaller than in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. But there is no denying that al-Bakhit has a tough task ahead of him.
Jordan is one of the Arab world's smallest economies and is heavily dependent on foreign aid. Problems looming before al-Bakhit are many, from a prolonged recession and rising public debt to a decline in public sector jobs. This has led to increased unemployment, especially among poor Bedouin tribesmen. By the end of 2010, inflation in Jordan rose, with 12% of the population currently unemployed and 25% living in poverty. In a speech to parliament Al-Bakhit declared, “I'm not opting for a temporary containment policy, but real reform is a gradual process.”
Vowing to fight corruption and favoritism, Al-Bakhit has promised to make changes in a controversial election law, which the Brotherhood and other critics decry as favoring Bedouin tribal loyalists of the King. And he plans to incorporate reforms, which will give political parties and the press more freedom. The Cabinet has already revoked a legal provision requiring protesters to seek police permission before holding public rallies. Al-Bakhit also pledges to enact a decentralization law that would grant far greater autonomy to distant towns.
When he ascended to the throne in 1999, King Abdullah had introduced several political reforms, but in this emotionally charged moment, it appears those changes may not be enough. Now the King is asking al-Bakhit for “real and quick” reforms. And it remains to be seen if al-Bakhit can deftly employ his wit and political skills to enact those sands of change, and at the same time, stabilize this little picturesque kingdom nestled in the Arabian Desert.
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