jordan pulse -

​By Dr. Amer Bani Amer
​The debate over party readiness should not turn into a pretext for delaying the inclusion of party members in government or excluding them from cabinets. The participation of party members in the executive branch is required across various stages, and it is a necessary part of building a normal political life wherein citizens feel that joining a party can lead to positions of influence and decision-making.
​However, at the same time, we must be precise in describing this participation. There is a difference between the government selecting a minister simply because they are a party member, and selecting a leader whom their party has prepared in advance to manage a specific sector, who worked within a "shadow government," and participated in drafting a clear party program for the ministry they will head.
​In the first case, we are practically facing the participation of an individual party member in government. In the second case, we are witnessing the beginning of the party itself participating in governance with its program, expertise, and institution.
​Therefore, I am not against appointing party members as ministers at any time, even before the party experience reaches full maturity. On the contrary, the participation of partisans now can grant parties valuable experience and help them understand government work from the inside. However, this participation must not be presented as a complete programmatic party participation; because in most cases, it will remain an individual experience unless the minister enters carrying their party's program, backed by their team, and subject to its follow-up and accountability.
​It is also necessary, when choosing a party member for a ministry due to their party affiliation, for the government to announce this clearly, and for the party to declare its political responsibility for this participation. There is no sense in selecting a partisan and then treating them media-wise and politically as if they are an independent figure unaffiliated with their party. Such an announcement gives value to party work and sends a message to society that belonging to political parties is not a burden on an individual, but a legitimate path to participating in state governance.
​On the other hand, if a minister enters the government in their personal capacity, and their party had no role in nominating them, setting their priorities, or monitoring their performance, their experience cannot be counted as party participation. Party membership alone does not transform a minister into a representative of a party program, nor does the presence of several party members within the government necessarily make it a party government.
​Hence comes the importance of Jordanian political parties forming shadow governments—not to establish a parallel authority, nor to compete with the constitutional government in its powers, but rather as a practical, organized exercise in governance.
​The idea is based on the party choosing a team whose members take charge of specific portfolios, such as the economy, finance, education, health, labor, and local governance. Each member monitors the corresponding ministry, studies its budget, legislation, and performance indicators, communicates with experts and groups affected by its policies, and then develops realistic, actionable alternatives on behalf of their party.
​The shadow minister does not wait for their party to reach government to begin becoming acquainted with the sector; rather, they train in advance on reading the budget, drafting policies, managing crises, dealing with the administrative apparatus, and working with parliament, media, and public opinion. They also join colleagues in simulating cabinet meetings, learning how to strike a balance between political priorities, available resources, and the national interest.
​And when they become a candidate for a ministry, they do not enter it as someone searching for an agenda after appointment, but as a party leader who knows the sector, carries a program prepared by the party, and relies on a working team that has accumulated knowledge and experience. Thus, we transition from appointing a member of a party as a minister to appointing an actual representative of the party and its program.
​This difference is equally important in accountability. A party minister in the programmatic sense does not bear responsibility alone; their party acts as a partner in the policies presented, monitors the extent of their commitment to them, and holds them accountable for their performance. Conversely, the party cannot disown its minister at the first difficult decision, or view them as representing only themselves in failure while representing the party in success.
​Shadow governments also help political parties discover their true competencies. Instead of future positions remaining tied to organizational seniority, media presence, or proximity to leadership, the party develops a performance record showing who possessed knowledge, who provided alternatives, who was able to manage a team, and who was capable of making decisions and defending them.
​The experience is not supposed to start by forming large shadow governments or showering members with titles. Each party can begin with a limited number of priority sectors, establishing an annual file for each official that includes an evaluation of the ministry's performance, the party's alternatives, its stance on the budget and legislation, and its plan should it assume responsibility.
​In conclusion, appointing party members as ministers today is a useful step that should be encouraged, provided that the partisan nature of the selection is clearly announced rather than hidden or treated as a personal detail. However, prior to political parties practicing the shadow government model, this participation will remain at its core an involvement of individuals gaining government experience, rather than full participation by parties bearing comprehensive programs.
​As for the shadow government, it is what transforms individual experience into an institutional party exercise, shifting parties from waiting for a cabinet share to preparing to assume the responsibility of governing. If we want ministers in the future who truly represent their parties, we must allow political parties to train them starting now on what they will do the day after entering the ministry.
​Source: Rum News Agency