Openness and participation in Jordan: The expected impact of decentralisation reform

The 2015 Decentralisation Law and Municipality Law are giving impetus to enhancing local democratic governance and bear the potential of strengthening popular participation in the national planning and development process. The creation of elected councils has raised hopes to encourage citizen-driven initiatives and foster greater transparency and accountability. On the basis of an assessment of the current legal, institutional and policy framework for open government (e.g. access to information, public consultation, integrity system, CSO activity, political participation), this chapter discusses the expected impact of the decentralisation reform and its potential to bring about the emergence of a new administrative culture of more open and participatory governance at the level of the governorates and municipalities.