Jordan heads to the polls on Tuesday, to pick the 18th parliament in the Kingdom’s history. If you don’t know much about what’s going on, you’d be forgiven: even most Jordanians are pretty unfussed about the outcome of the national vote.
But you’d also be missing out. Aside from being full of many hidden (and not-so hidden) treasures, Jordan is an important political scene to watch. Here’s why:
1) Jordan is more important than you might think
The “Hashemite Kingdom of Boredom” may be a familiar epithet for some in the region: social considerations aside, Jordan has managed to remain relatively stable in a neighborhood of civil war, military coups and occupation. But it’s walking a troubled path. High unemployment, especially among young people, scant resources and a steep cost of living are all challenges here. Add to that a refugee crisis and unease around extremist elements in the country, and Jordan looks more like a place to keep an eye on.
2) The election law has changed, and it’s addressing some major problems
Since 1993, Jordan has used a “one-person, one-vote” system for choosing parliamentarians. It’s actually pretty similar to most systems around the world, but in Jordan it’s problematic: this, after all, is a young country, where people often pick candidates based on personal or tribal loyalties. The new system makes candidates join lists encouraging them, in theory, to create parties and run on ideological platforms. The aim to encourage political parties might not work in practice, but what it has meant is that...
3) Islamists are participating for the first time in ages
For the past two rounds, the Muslim Brotherhood via the Islamic Action Front (IAF) and other Islamist groups boycotted elections, arguing that the voting system disadvantaged them unfairly. But this time around, they’ve been taken back into the fold of mainstream politics, fielding hundreds of candidates who are expected to attracted many votes. Most Islamists are putting forward a milder front – the IAF is stressing reform in its platforms – and they’re split into several different groups. But that doesn’t mean the establishment isn’t a tiny bit anxious about the return of this historically disruptive force.
4) The youth vote is crucial
70% of Jordan’s population is under 30, and as a group the young are suffering as a result of the country’s troubles. One third are unemployed compared to 15% across the population, despite being more educated than ever before. And while apathy toward parliament is pretty high among millennials, they’re getting involved in politics in different ways. Groups like Shaghaf, an activist movement with nearly 7,000 Facebook likes, are getting young people more involved in making a difference. The voting age has been dropped to 17, too.
5) If nothing else, you might be entertained
Among the big headlines from Jordan’s election season so far: a candidate being visited by God in a dream, accusations flying between Jordanians and the IDF, a candidate expressing a desire to kill Jews then denying it, and in one city a basket of flowers apparently running for office. Something for everyone, then.
