More than five million Jordanians were called to vote on Tuesday in parliamentary elections not expected to significantly alter the political landscape, despite being conducted under a new electoral law. This law increased the number of seats in the House of Representatives from 130 to 138 and allocated 41 seats to political parties, aiming to bolster political activity. The polls opened on Tuesday morning and were set to close at 7:00 PM local time (4:00 PM GMT).
The electoral campaigns did not attract significant interest among Jordanians, largely due to anger over the ongoing war in Gaza, which entered its twelfth month on Saturday. An incident on Sunday involving a Jordanian who killed three Israeli guards at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, a rare occurrence, indicates the prevailing sentiment in the Jordanian public opinion.
Influence of Gaza War
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas following an unprecedented attack by the latter on Israel, Jordan has seen protests calling for the cancellation of the 1994 peace treaty signed between Jordan and Israel. Thirty-six parties, mostly with moderate leanings aligned with government policies, will compete for the party seats. The elections also include candidates from the Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood and a prominent opposition party in the country, as well as candidates representing major Jordanian tribes, independents, leftists, retired military personnel, and numerous businessmen.
Election Results within 48 Hours
The kingdom was divided into 18 electoral districts, with 1,640 candidates competing, including 1,258 males and 382 females. The first results were expected to start coming in from Tuesday evening, with final results announced “within 48 hours from the closing of the ballot boxes,” according to Musa Al-Maaytah, the chairman of the Independent Election Commission. The new electoral law increased the number of seats for women from 15 to 18 and lowered the eligible age to run for elections from 30 to 25 years.
The elected House of Representatives forms one of the two chambers of the Jordanian Parliament, which also includes the Senate, consisting of 69 members appointed by the king. The parliament has the power to withdraw confidence from the government, enact laws, and issue legislations. Under the Jordanian constitution, the king appoints governments, has the authority to dissolve parliament, declare war, make peace, and sign treaties and agreements.
Security and Monitoring of Elections
According to authorities, 54,000 security personnel were deployed across 1,649 polling centers nationwide. The European Union mission in Jordan announced the deployment of 38 observers to monitor the elections. Over 61 organizations, totaling about 700 observers from international monitoring missions and entities representing embassies and international organizations operating in Jordan, observed the electoral process.
