Election begins in Jordan

Jordanians headed to the polls today to elect their second parliament under King Abdullah II, amid apathy toward Islamist politicians and scepticism that the government will help create jobs or alleviate growing poverty.

Tribal, centrist and pro-government politicians are expected to sweep the polls in these parliamentary elections, which the government has touted as a vital step toward homegrown democracy in the pro-Western kingdom.

But voter apathy and disillusionment are rampant, and there were no crowds outside the more than 1,400 polling stations as they opened at 7am local time.

Grocer Saeed Jalad, 52, from the capital Amman, said: “I’m not voting for anyone because they’re all liars – Islamists and all the others.

“They just want to grab seats in parliament and will (later) forget about us and our needs.”

By midday, the turnout reached 27%, Interior Minister Eid al-Fayez said.

The highest turnout – 30% – was registered in mostly tribal Bedouin districts. The lowest – 10% – was in Zarqa, an industrial city with a predominantly Palestinian population east of Amman.

Only one of the 35 parties recognised in Jordan are running in the elections on a joint, party ballot. Representatives from the other parties are running as independent candidates.

The party that is running is Islamic Action Front, Jordan’s largest opposition group, but it has fielded only 22 candidates in the election for the 110-seat Chamber of Deputies.

The IAF, the political arm of the hardline Muslim Brotherhood Movement, commanded 17 seats in the outgoing parliament.

The group won almost a majority in parliament in 1989, but lost much of its sway four years later because it failed to deliver on its promise to improve economic conditions in cash-strapped Jordan, especially soaring poverty and unemployment.

Under a proportional balloting system, the cities, where liberals and Islamists alike enjoy popular support and where the majority of Jordan’s 5.5 million people live, are under-represented in the Chamber of Deputies.

Instead, rural areas where Bedouin tribes who form the bedrock of support for the king have the greatest number of parliamentary seats, with a deputy usually representing about 2,000 to 3,000 voters each. Deputies from Amman, the capital, represent about 95,000.

The government, concerned about the growing influence of militants in the region, especially in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring Iraq, has been hesitant to change the country’s electoral law. It fears Islamists would regain a majority in parliament, as they once did.

The government is taking measures to prevent vote tampering, including an electronic network to verify voter identity and to ensure no one casts multiple ballots.

In all, 885 candidates, including 199 women, are battling for votes from an eligible electorate of 2.4 million.

The elections are the second since 2003 under King Abdullah, who took over in 1999 following the death of his father.

Colorful banners and campaign posters have littered the streets ahead of the elections, promising better economic conditions in the oil-poor kingdom.

“Yes to duty-free and tax-free food and pharmaceuticals,” said one banner, while another read: “Putting food on the table is our national priority.”

Candidates also used mobile text messages to urge people to vote. “Voting is a sacred national duty,” appealed one contestant.

Today was also declared a national holiday to encourage people to vote.