Jordan Holds Parliamentary Elections Amid Rising Tensions Over Gaza Conflict

Jordan Holds Parliamentary Elections Amid Rising Tensions

On Tuesday, voters in the Arab kingdom of Jordan headed to the polls for a crucial parliamentary election, with pressing domestic issues such as unemployment and economic challenges at the forefront of their concerns. Simultaneously, an Islamist party is leveraging the widespread anger over Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza to position itself as a formidable challenger to the pro-Western government.

This election is taking place under a newly implemented system introduced in 2022, designed to foster democratization and enhance the role of political parties while minimizing the influence of tribal affiliations in national politics. Under this new framework, candidates vying for the 138 seats in the lower house are now permitted to run under the banner of national parties, rather than solely as independent individuals. It is noteworthy that the Parliament’s upper house and key government positions are still appointed directly by King Abdullah II.

As the results are anticipated to be released overnight, the political wing of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, which had previously boycotted elections, is seizing this opportunity to rally support. Their campaign is centered around a strong opposition to the conflict in Gaza and calls for an end to Jordan’s security cooperation with Israel, alongside advocating for the establishment of a Palestinian state. This stance resonates with many Jordanian citizens, a significant number of whom are of Palestinian descent, making Jordan home to the largest community of Palestinian exiles worldwide.

Jordanian police have been deployed to secure polling stations as citizens exercise their voting rights. Credit: Jordan Pix/Getty Images

“The situation in Gaza has provided the Muslim Brotherhood with a platform to amplify their election rhetoric and rally support,” stated Amer Al Sabaileh, a regional security expert and university professor based in the capital, Amman. “They are adept at utilizing the theme of resistance and the ongoing conflict in Gaza to their advantage, even suggesting that failing to vote for them equates to endorsing normalization with Israel.”