• People and activists from Souf Camp analyze political parties' experiences and assess the results of their participation in the elections.

With massive participation from the people and activists of the Souf camp, Al Quds Center for Political Studies organized a conference titled “Political Parties and the 2024 Elections: Between Calculations and Outcomes.” The conference featured Member of Parliament Dr. Hamzeh Hawamdeh, Secretary-General of the Labour Party Dr. Rula Hroub, and Dr. Zaid Omar, researcher in political participation matters.

The Executive Director of the Al Quds Center for Political Studies, Ms. Hala Salem, opened the conference, noting that it is part of a series of activities implemented by the center in regions and constituencies that experience a lack of political participation and enrollment. She stressed the importance of examining the experiences and results of political parties in the elections held under the new law, learning from both success and failure stories. She highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between political parties and citizens, emphasizing the responsibility of parties to maintain communication with citizens beyond the election period. Furthermore, she pointed out the necessity of building the capacity of civil society organizations in regions with low participation, as these organizations play a crucial role in raising awareness about the significance of civil activism and enhancing participation in public affairs. Salem further added that effective participation in political parties and monitoring the performance of representatives will lead to strong and representative parliaments that support Jordan and protect its internal front.

On his part, Dr. Zaid Omar presented an overview prepared by the Al Quds Center, detailing the most significant information about the results of the elections in the Governorate of Jerash. Voter turnout increased by 4.4% compared to the 2020 elections, reaching 55.2%. The presentation also focused on the electoral lists of political parties and the number of votes they collected at both the national and governorate levels. Furthermore, Dr. Omar highlighted that the number of votes collected at the general constituency level in Jerash exceeded 60,000, while local constituency lists surpassed 67,000 votes. He also pointed out that approximately 3,000 votes were either blank or invalid in the governorate. Regarding the results, the Al Quds Center noted that Jerash’s representatives belong to the National Charter, Irada, and Taqqadum parties.

Member of Parliament Dr. Hamzeh Hawamdeh discussed the necessity of drawing lessons from the recent experiences of political parties and the general constituency, pointing out the gap in experiences between historical ideological parties and those of more recent formation. He stressed the significance of enhancing political culture and activism, based on programs and decisions made according to political criteria. Regarding the electoral behavior of voters, Dr. Hawamdeh highlighted that most voters supported parties that oppose government policies and drifted away from parties aligned with the official government line. Consequently, the situation of dissatisfaction was reflected in the ballot boxes. According to him,  the matter of the Teachers' Syndicate had an impact on citizens' votes.  

Regarding the experience of the National Charter Party, Dr. Hawamdeh pointed out that the party was able to secure a number of seats at the local constituency level, thereby strengthening its presence in Parliament. He also mentioned several weaknesses experienced during these elections that need to be addressed for future ones.

During her intervention, Dr. Rula Hroub addressed the impact of the regional environment and the war in Gaza on the election results. According to her, other factors that influenced voter behavior included the novelty of the electoral experience and the fact that voters did not examine the electoral platforms of political parties. Additionally, she noted the incapacity of political parties to reach multiple regions, including crowded areas in the capital, Irbid, and Al Zarqa, as they focused on other regions. Dr. Hroub also pointed out that one of the weaknesses faced by political parties during the elections was the lack of adequate institutional and administrative experience in party work and campaign management, as well as the insufficient funding available to many political parties. She noted that her party's plan for the upcoming phase will focus on building the capacities of members and staff within the party, attracting local community leaders to join the party, and working on securing funding sources for the next phase.

Participants' interventions and questions focused on the inability of political parties to reach the electorate, as well as the differences in experience and practices among the parties, which contributed to the results achieved. Additionally, they expressed observations about the electoral system and called for party lists to be open rather than closed. The participants also emphasized the importance of highlighting aspects related to organizing the electoral process, particularly the distribution of voters to polling stations to ensure they are closer to their places of residence, especially in light of the expansion of electoral constituencies.

The attendees emphasized the importance of teamwork within the lists and prioritizing political and party loyalty over sub-loyalties based on tribal and family affiliations. Additionally, the interventions addressed the shortcomings of political parties and official institutions in informing voters about the voting process, particularly regarding party lists. Due to a lack of understanding of the law, a significant number of voters randomly gave their votes to the parties’ lists. Participants called on political parties to make efforts in engaging in dialogue and meeting with citizens, and to enhance their tools for reaching out to them.

The President of the Souf Camp Services Committee, Mr. Abdul Mohsen Benat, welcomed the participants at the beginning of the discussion, emphasizing the importance of ongoing efforts in the path of political modernization, partnership, and continuous meetings between representatives and the public to sustain dialogue and enhance effective participation. He also stressed the importance of having strong parliamentary councils that support the official Jordanian stance in light of the internal and external challenges facing Jordan, particularly those related to regional repercussions.