Jordan’s 2024 elections: A true test for political parties

The 2024 parliamentary elections in Jordan are an important test of the effectiveness of political parties and their role in public life, as these elections witness wide participation from various political and social spectrums. These elections reflect a new stage in the democratic transformation process in the Kingdom, especially after the introduction of a series of political reforms aimed at strengthening the role of political parties in parliament and giving them a greater role in forming governments and monitoring the executive authority.

In recent years, Jordan has undergone a comprehensive reform process that included reviewing the election law and the political parties law, allowing parties more freedom to express their political programmes and present their candidates more independently. This trend towards strengthening party work is an important step towards consolidating the concept of representative democracy in the Kingdom, as parties now have effective tools to influence the political decision-making process.

With these amendments, parties are expected to play a greater role in the upcoming elections, as party blocs are now striving to present realistic electoral programmes that reflect the aspirations of the Jordanian street.

The elections are expected to witness great competition between political parties seeking to obtain the largest possible number of seats in parliament. This competition between parties reinforces the idea that parties are now able to provide political alternatives and development programmes that meet the needs of citizens.

Despite these positive developments, there are challenges facing political parties in Jordan, some of which are related to the weakness of the parties’ popular base, and others are related to the culture of individualism prevailing in Jordanian society, as many voters tend to choose candidates based on tribal or personal affiliations rather than party affiliation. In addition, parties face a challenge in convincing voters that they have the ability to bring about real change and that their electoral programmes are not just slogans.

Another factor added to these challenges is the weakness of party funding. Some parties lack the financial resources necessary to organise their electoral campaigns effectively, which makes them less able to compete with other political forces that have better funding. Despite the state’s attempts to provide financial support to political parties, these attempts did not completely solve the funding problem.

In addition, the electoral system adopted in Jordan, which relies on individual voting in many electoral districts. The current electoral system encourages voters to vote for party lists entirely, and even pushes them to vote on a personal or tribal basis, which reduces the chances of parties obtaining large seats in parliament. Therefore, there are ongoing calls to adopt this system so that it enhances the role of parties and contributes to strengthening party democracy.

As the election date approaches, political parties have begun launching their election campaigns and presenting their programmes to the public. Social media is expected to play a prominent role in these campaigns, as parties exploit these platforms to communicate directly with voters and deliver their messages and programmes. Political debates between party candidates may also contribute to raising the level of political awareness among voters and providing a clearer picture of the policies that parties seek to implement.

The 2024 elections are a real test of the ability of political parties to present realistic visions and development programs that meet the aspirations of citizens. Despite the major challenges facing the parties, these elections represent an opportunity for them to prove their ability to influence the Jordanian political scene and contribute to achieving the required political reforms.

The success of the parties in these elections will enhance their position in society and increase voters’ confidence in them, which will contribute to consolidating the concept of party democracy in Jordan and constitute a turning point in the history of political life in the Kingdom.

Hasan Dajah is professor of strategic studies at Al Hussein Bin Talal University