| Abdulhadi Majali ( M) |
| Fayez Al-Shawabkeh ( M) |
(12 seats are reserved for Christians and Circassians and six for women)
House of Parliament
P.O. Box 72
AMMAN
Tel.: (9626) 563 5100
Fax: (9626) 568 5970
E-mail: info@parliament.jo
| http://www.parliament.jo |
Each elector casts one vote.
Vacancies are normally filled through by-elections within two months.
Voting is not compulsory.
- Jordanian citizenship
- ordinary residence in a constituency
- disqualifications: insanity, undischarged bankruptcy, criminal conviction, allegiance to a foreign State, membership of the armed forces
- age: 30 years
- Jordanian citizenship
- ineligibility: government contractors, blood relatives of the King, imprisonment exceeding one year for a non-political offence
- Deputies may become Ministers of Government while sitting, but a Minister who wishes to run for Parliament must first resign from his post
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
In the previous elections held in June 2003, supporters of the King reportedly won two-thirds of the 110 seats in the House of Representatives. The Islamic Action Front (IAF, political arm of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood) won 17 seats.
The IAF boycotted the July 2007 municipal elections, alleging election fraud. In subsequent contacts with leaders of the IAF's centrist faction, Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit reportedly gave assurances that elections would be free and transparent, in return for a promise to remove extremists from the IAF electoral lists. However, the Prime Minister publicly rejected the IAF's demand to invite international observers, arguing that this would suggest that Jordanian electoral law was flawed.
In all, 880 candidates, including a record 199 women (up from 54 in the 2003 elections), contested the 2007 elections. The IAF fielded only 22 candidates (down from over 30 in 2003). Most female candidates ran as independents, promising to strive for womens basic rights including the freedom to work. The outgoing legislature had six women, who all were elected under reserved seats.
Most supporters of the King ran as independents. Many of them promised to improve economic conditions by fighting poverty and unemployment.
The media focused on the chances of the IAF winning more seats than in 2003. The party was seen to be losing ground. The IAF ran under the slogan, "Islam is the solution". It pledged to support people in Iraq and to amend the Constitution and the electoral law, without elaborating on the changes to be made. Its proposals on unemployment and poverty were reportedly similar to those of pro-monarchy candidates.
Support for Iraqi and Palestinian peoples was also a common theme among other opposition forces.
A total of 54 per cent of the 2.4 million registered voters turned out at the polls.
The final results gave a majority to parties and candidates allied to the King, while the IAF took only six seats. One woman was elected, in addition to the six seats reserved for women.
IAF leader Mr. Jamil Abu-Bakr alleged election fraud, including vote-buying, which the government denied. Following the elections, 17 people were arrested for tampering with the election process.
On 22 November, King Abdullah II named Mr. Nader Dahabi as the new Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. He subsequently formed a 28-member cabinet including four women, which was approved by a royal decree on 25 November.
On 2 December, the newly-elected House of Representatives held a preliminary session that re-elected Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Majali as its Speaker. In the meantime, on 29 November, King Abdullah II had appointed 55 senators, including seven women. Mr. Zaid Al-Rifai was re-appointed as Senate President by Royal Decree. King Abdullah II officially inaugurated the parliament on 3 December.
| Round no 1 (20 November 2007): Election results | ||||
| Number of registered electors | ||||
| Voters | 54% | |||
| Blank or invalid ballot papers | ||||
| Valid votes | ||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of votes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Candidates | Votes | % of votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of seats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Total of seats | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Parliament, Speaker's responsibility called into question
- election held at the beginning of the new ordinary session of the Parliament (October 1st, each year)
- election held after the Members' mandates are validated, and after Members are sworn in
- formal notification of candidature required
- deadline for the notification of candidature: beginning of the new ordinary session
- absolute majority is required (41 of the 80 Members) - if no candidate obtains that majority in the first round, several rounds are held
- the special committee supervises the voting
- the most senior Member announces the results without any delay
- the results can be challenged
- the President of the Senate presides over joint sittings of both Chambers
- represents the Assembly with the public authorities
- is ex officio Member of bodies outside Parliament
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
- term of office: 1 year
- meets once a week
- assists and advises the Speaker and is also a collegiate presidency
- special allowance
- official car
- secretariat and additional staff
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study, with the approval of the Asssembly
- examines the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees, with the approval of the Assembly
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum, with thew assistance of the Clerk
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates, with the approval of the Assembly
- the establishment of the House's budget
- recruitement, assignment and promotion of staff
- the appoinment of the Clerk
- the organization of the services of Parliament
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
- provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting only in the event of a tie
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
· Procedure (Art. 71 of the Constitution)
. If elections are delayed after the termination of the term of the House, on the day of new elections (Art. 68 (ii) of the Constitution).
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the House of Deputies
· Basic salary: JOD 850 ($ 1,200)
· No exemption from tax
· No pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat
(b) Postal and telephone services
· Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament.
· Derogations: disciplinary measures in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House of Deputies
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins. It does not offer, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
· It applies to criminal and civil proceedings, covers all offences and protects MPs from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, and from the opening of judicial proceedings against them. It also protects them, as prescribed by the Standing Orders of Parliament, from their homes being searched.
· Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto, MPs can be arrested. However, the House of Deputies has to be notified immediately.
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal.
· Protection is provided only during sessions and does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 86 (i) of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the House of Deputies
- Procedure (Art. 86 (i) of the Constitution). In this case, MPs must be heard. They do have means of appeal.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned can be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament (SO 141 of the Standing Orders of Parliament).
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation: suspension of salary for the period he was absent, prevention from attending further sessions
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
General Information | Electoral System
Last Elections | Presidency of the Parliament | Parliamentary Mandate | Parliamentary Oversight
PARLINE database: new search
Copyright © 1996-2008 Inter-Parliamentary Union