• The people from Russeifa and Hitteen Camp emphasize the importance of restoring trust in Parliament and exploring ways to achieve that.

With the participation of tens of activists from the city of Russeifa and the Hitteen camp, the Al Quds Center for Political Studies organized a conference titled 'The 2024 Election… Enhancing Participation and Reducing Abstention'. The conference was held in the Hitteen Camp Services Committee's hall and featured the former MP, Dr. Mustafa Yaghi, and the Director General of the Al Quds Center, Mr. Oraib Al Rantawi.

Yaghi pointed out that Jordan is entering a new phase under the new election law, which grants citizens the right to vote for the political party of their choice at a national level and the right to elect the list they prefer at the local constituency level. He stressed the importance of voting in large numbers and the necessity of addressing the negative impact left by the preceding period, which weakened representative councils. There is also a need to address the instances of interference that reduced participation and created a negative image of the parliamentary institution. Furthermore, Yaghi stated that members of parliament often engage more in a service-providing role that benefits the personal interests of voters, rather than fulfilling their primary roles of monitoring and legislation.

Regarding the upcoming period, Yaghi emphasized the need to strengthen the parliamentary institution through widespread participation, thereby enhancing its representative legitimacy and combating the practice of buying votes. He explained that extensive voter turnout limits election interferences and the influence of "dark money." Yaghi also underscored the importance of addressing challenges that Jordanians face, such as unemployment. These challenges should be tackled through a comprehensive approach involving the parliament, political party blocs, and the government, rather than addressing individual cases. Yaghi concluded by stressing the importance of maintaining national unity and confronting the Zionist project, which aims to settle the Palestinian question at Jordan's expense through active participation.

Al Rantawi mentioned that the National Campaign to Enhance Participation and Reduce Abstention, launched by the center a year ago, resulted from a meticulous study on voter turnout, which was notably low in six governorates. He also pointed out that the general voter turnout in Jordan does not exceed 30% and is ranked among the lowest in the world. According to Al Rantawi, now is the time for voters in these regions to elect candidates who represent them and address their priorities, especially since the regions with high abstention rates have the largest number of voters.

Al Rantawi then elaborated on the reasons leading to abstention, which include the lack of trust in the electoral process and the perception of insufficient transparency and integrity. These sentiments are rooted in historical accumulations and the statements made by political figures over past decades, which have cast a negative shadow on the electoral process. Additionally, factors such as the parliament's weak performance, marginalization, and the lingering culture of fear from the martial law period contribute to voter abstention.

Al Rantawi highlighted the opportunity provided by the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System, as well as the new election and political parties' laws. He emphasized the importance of seizing this opportunity to rebuild trust between citizens and the political and electoral processes. Al Rantawi concluded by stressing the importance of countering the phenomenon of vote buying through massive voter turnout, which would make it more challenging for candidates to buy votes. However, he acknowledged that eradicating this phenomenon entirely is a daunting task, as it persists in elections globally.

During their interventions and questions, participants primarily addressed the causes behind the lack of trust in representative councils and the electoral process. They also discussed the necessary tools and measures needed to restore and strengthen this trust. Participants emphasized the importance of raising awareness about selecting the best candidate based on criteria rather than being swayed by unrealistic slogans used by some candidates. Their interventions underscored a widespread sense of frustration regarding the efficacy of participation. They noted that some candidates prioritize their personal interests over the interests and priorities of the voters. Regarding partisan participation, participants questioned the chances of political parties meeting the threshold set by law for the national constituency, which stands at 2.5% of the total votes.

The conference was launched and facilitated by Mr. Saleh Al Nahalini, President of the Hitteen Camp Services Committee. He welcomed the participants and congratulated them on the occasion of independence and the silver Jubilee. Al Nahalini also emphasized the necessity of continuing to raise awareness about participation and its role in electing a parliament representative of citizens, improving their quality of life in all fields. He called on participants to strive for change and to choose the best candidates. He concluded his intervention by inviting the participants to recite the Fatiha for the souls of the Martyrs in Jordan and Palestine..