Today, Thursday, the Independent Election Commission announced the final results of the parliamentary elections in Jordan, which showed a decline in the number of seats in the Islamic opposition National Reform Alliance and the number of women, as well as the victory of about 100 new faces, with the continued control of tribes and businessmen over the seats in parliament.
The rate of participation in Parliament did not exceed 30%, as analysts had previously indicated that a large number of voters may refrain from participating in the voting process due to the health crisis and citizens' preoccupation with their living concerns.
In addition, the deep-rooted conviction among "the majority of Jordanians that parliament has a marginal role in the political system," according to the director of the Jerusalem Center for Political Studies, Arif Al-Rantawi.
The head of the Independent Election Commission, Khaled Kalaldeh, said in a press conference on Thursday morning that the number of seats for the "National Reform Alliance" - which is led by the Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood and the most prominent opposition party in the country - decreased to 8 instead of 16.
But the Secretary-General of the Islamic Action Front, Murad Al-Adaileh, said that the number of seats won by the party is 10, of which 8 are "on the National Reform Alliance list," and "two are on another local list called the Nashami list."
On the other hand, Kalaldeh said that "no woman outside the quota, which is 15, won," and thus the parliament will include 15 women compared to 20 in the previous one.
In the elections that took place on Tuesday, 1674 candidates - including 360 women - competed for the 130 seats in the House of Representatives, and the results showed that about 30 former deputies and about 20 senior military retirees won, with the continued influence of clans and businessmen, and the parliament will include 100 new deputies.
The elections witnessed a weak turnout of 29.9%, compared to 36% in the previous elections.
The elections witnessed a low turnout by the citizens (Al-Jazeera)
Popular resentment
The elections coincided with popular discontent as the country struggled to deal with the worst economic crisis it has been going through in many years, as unemployment increased and poverty spread as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Politicians appealed to citizens to participate in the elections, amid widespread indifference and calls to boycott what some consider a tribal-dominated council that is almost powerless and full of government loyalists who are unable to effect change.
The government maintained the election law, which does not represent large cities - strongholds of Islamists and Palestinians - sufficiently in favor of tribal areas with few populations that constitute the base of support for the regime.
The power of the tribes as a political factor in Jordan is increasing, which eliminates the opportunities for the formation of national parties and limits the influence of Islamists.
Islamists say they participate in the elections, despite the fact that the election law keeps them marginalized, in order to avoid staying on the sidelines of political life, and to ensure a voice opposing the government.