Activists welcome Lower House decision to lower candidacy age

AMMAN — Activists and experts on Wednesday welcomed a recent decision by the Lower House of Parliament to reduce candidates' age by five years, saying the move will enhance youth’s participation in political life.

On Tuesday, MPs continued their deliberations on constitutional amendments with 110 members approving the amended Article 70, which lowers the age to run for Lower House elections from 30 to 25 years.

The article also stipulated that the candidates must meet the membership conditions stipulated in the Elections Law, with the aim of encouraging youth to participate in political life.

Director of the Phenix Centre for Economics and Informatics Studies (PCEIS) Ahmad Awad saw the step as positive but should be coupled with "concrete steps towards increasing public freedoms".

In principle, lowering the age of candidacy for Parliament elections to 25 years is a positive step to enhance political participation in general and the participation of youth in particular, Awad said. 

However, activating this participation and making it more useful requires “making changes in the areas of public freedoms in force in Jordan, where there are many restrictions imposed on the exercise of public freedoms”, he told The Jordan Times.

“It is also required to expedite the dismantling of the restrictions in place on the ground, which are in violation of the established principles in the exercise of the right to expression, peaceful assembly, and civil and union organisation,” Awad stressed. 

This is necessary to provide a healthy environment for the practice of political work for all and for youth in particular, and for the plan to reduce the age of candidacy to have a positive impact on the path to political reform in Jordan, Awad added.

Director of the Justice Centre for Legal Aid (JCLA) Hadeel Abdul Aziz welcomed the decision to decrease candidates' age but criticised the way some deputies tackled the matter under the Dome.

“Obviously some deputies do not perceive the younger generation in a fair or objective manner,” Abdul Aziz told The Jordan Times. 

There are many young men and women who once elected “will surely lift the level of boldness when it comes to discussing national matters", Abdul Aziz stressed.

Abdul Aziz was referring to some deputies who objected to lowering the age of candidates because in their opinion “they will be playing video games rather than paying attention to what is going on in the session”.

“The current young generation is much more aware and mature than some of the current deputies,” Abdul Aziz said.   

Nevertheless, Abdul Aziz said that lowering the candidacy age was not the “best way to encourage youth to run for elections”.

“There needs to be more focus on encouraging political participation so that the political parties adopt youth who wish to run for the elections in a systematic manner,” Abdul Aziz added.

His Majesty King Abdullah had stressed on several occasions the need to create an environment conducive to expanding the base of political engagement, and ensuring the active participation of women and youth in public life.

The King voiced hope to see Jordanians fully engaged in political life and confident in partisan work, reiterating that the door is open to all proposals and views and that everyone’s engagement in dialogue is needed, with the main goal being Jordan’s and Jordanians’ interests.