The government was keen to diffuse tensions, allowing the demonstrations to go ahead and permitting a televised debate between the deputy prime minister, Ayman Safadi, and the IAF secretary-general, Hamzah Mansour. Mr Mansour used the debate to question the legality of the current Jordanian parliament and to push for wide-ranging political reform, claiming large-scale fraud during the November 2010 election and demanding new elections under a reformed electoral law. He said that the IAF was willing to take part in the political reform process. Mr Safadi defended the government against the claims of fraud, saying it was unacceptable for a party that fails to gain seats in an election to question the integrity of the process. The two men differed strongly on Jordan's economic situation. Mr Mansour suggested that the Jordanian economic system was falling apart, but Mr Safadi pointed to average growth of 6% in the past decade and the success of sectors such as telecommunications.

During the street protests, the opposition had been calling for the resignation of the unpopular prime minister, Samir Rifai, and action against rising prices, inflation and unemployment. As the demonstrations intensified, the IAF upped its demands to constitutional amendments that would limit the king's power to appoint the prime minister. Mr Mansour was, however, keen to stress differences between Jordan and Egypt, where protesters had demanded the president's resignation. He repeatedly stated that the king's position was respected and that the IAF did not seek to overthrow the monarchy, just to curb his direct power.