Elections in Jordan

Jordan recently held parliamentary elections. It seemed to be quite hotly contested, as there were almost 900 candidates for the 110 seats, and campaign signs and banners and large posters bearing their awkwardly smiling faces were posted all over Amman in the month or two before the vote. Of the nearly 900 candidates, 199 were women. By law, of the 110 seats 12 are reserved for Christian and Circassian candidates, and 6 for the top women candidates. Probably the biggest news once the results were known was that the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood fared poorly, with the number of seats they hold dropping from 17 to 6.

Unfortunately--despite the large number of candidates--the disposition towards the election of most of the people we know was something between apathy and disdain. Some felt people were just running for the prestige of the position, and others said the winners would turn their backs on the people once they took their seat. Many people talked beforehand about some candidates actually going door to door and buying votes, saying it had happened in the past. At least, though, if they wanted to vote, they really had no excuse not to, as election day here is a national holiday. Whatever the case, it was interesting to observe the democratic process here.