ALBAWABA - More than 5 million eligible Jordanians will cast ballots to choose representatives for the 20th House of Representatives as polls opened earlier this morning.
1,634 candidates are running in the elections, which are being managed by the Independent Election Commission (IEC). Of these, 697 are running for general (party) districts and 937 are running for local ones.
The IEC oversees and controls the whole election process, with the executive branch's responsibility being limited to logistical and security support. In local districts, 172 candidate lists are in competition.
The elections will be observed by more than 61 organizations, including both local and foreign monitoring groups, totaling over 700 observers.
The 2022 constitutional reforms and the new rules regulating elections and political parties, which aim to democratize and increase the role of political parties in a nation where tribal loyalties play a significant political role, have resulted in the first parliamentary elections.
In 2021, the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System was established by King Abdullah II of Jordan. In March 2022, the committee's recommendations were accepted.
The new election system increased the representation of women in the lower house of Parliament, the House of Representatives, and opened the door for political parties to play a larger role.
