Jordan’s First Election Under New Law Expected To Boost Islamists

On Tuesday, Jordan held its first parliamentary election under a new law designed to reduce the traditional dominance of tribal politics and strengthen the role of political parties. The 2022 law allocates 41 seats directly to over 30 licensed parties, mostly pro-government while raising the women’s quota to 18 seats and lowering the minimum age for deputies to 25. The changes aim to modernize Jordan’s political landscape and encourage broader participation.

However, the election still favors sparsely populated tribal areas over the densely populated urban centers like Amman, which are strongholds of the Islamist opposition. Despite accounting for over two-thirds of Jordan’s population, urban areas receive less than a third of the parliamentary seats, perpetuating the imbalance that critics say undermines democratic representation.

Turnout in previous elections was low, with only 29% voting in 2020 and a mere 10% participation in some urban Palestinian communities. Officials hope the new law will boost voter engagement, especially in cities like Amman and Zarqa.

The election comes at a critical time, with the ongoing war in Gaza creating heightened anti-Israel sentiment in Jordan, where public opinion strongly favors the Palestinian cause. This backdrop is expected to boost the electoral fortunes of the Islamic Action Front, Jordan’s largest opposition bloc. The group has led major rallies supporting Hamas, an ideological ally, and aims to challenge unpopular economic policies, resist laws curbing public freedoms, and oppose further normalization with Israel.