AMMAN — Jordan's powerful Muslim Brotherhood said Friday it will boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections in protest over recent changes in the kingdom's election legislation, saying they fall short of the opposition group's demands. A boycott would deal a blow to King Abdullah, who has made his reforms campaign the centerpiece of efforts to stave off Arab Spring-type of protests. Islamists have made gains all over the Middle East and show increasing strength in Jordan, where regular street protests over the past 18 months have called for wider public say in politics and for curtailing the king's absolute powers. The elections, expected at the end of the year though no date has officially been set, are critical to the king's campaign. He has changed 42 articles, or one-third of Jordan's 60-year-old constitution, giving parliament a say in appointing Cabinets — a task which used to be his sole prerogative. “The government left us no choice but to boycott the elections because it did not show any seriousness toward real reforms,” Brotherhood spokesman Jamil Abu-Bakr said. Abu-Bakr, however, said the Brotherhood may reverse the latest decision if the government promptly acts on its demands. “We will leave that discussion until a time when the government undertakes serious and real efforts toward reforms,” he said. The main dispute is over a new election law, which gave concessions to the opposition by allowing each eligible voter two ballots instead of one under legislation enacted in 2001. Parliament passed the new law Thursday. Under it, one ballot is reserved for representatives from local districts, while the other goes to a 27-seat national list of candidates. — AP
