• People of Al Zarqa and its camp call on drawing lessons from the parliamentary elections’ experience and believe that a number of candidates made promises they cannot fulfill.
• Al Dalaeen: Participating in the elections was an opportunity to learn lessons in light of the novelty of the experience, and the lack of awareness regarding political parties’ lists influenced the results.
• Haymour: Some political parties gave up on their candidates during the electoral campaign and did not seize the opportunity correctly.
• Al Safouti: Leftist parties should revise their discourse and programs and present a convincing ideology to the people.

Al Quds Center for Political Studies organized, in cooperation with the Zarqa Camp Services Committee, a dialogue session titled: “Political Parties and the 2024 Elections… Between Calculations and Outcomes.” This is the second session organized by the center as part of a series of dialogue sessions in several governorates to evaluate the results of the elections in an open dialogue with citizens.

The dialogue featured the Secretary-General of the Wafaa Party, Mr. Mazen Al Dalaeen, who talked about the results of his party in the parliamentary elections. He expressed his satisfaction despite not securing a seat in parliament and pointed out that the party collected 34,067 votes, ahead of 13 other parties out of 25 competing in the elections.  

Regarding the challenges faced by the Wafaa Party in the elections, Al Dalaeen mentioned that the party engaged in the elections only eight months after its foundation, which was not sufficient to lead an effective electoral campaign. Furthermore, several of the party’s best members could not run for election because the law mandates that candidates must be enrolled for at least six months in the political party to be on the electoral list. Al Dalaeen clarified that the party participated in this experience to learn from it and that it is currently analyzing the results.

Regarding the assessment of the electoral experience under the 2022 elections law, Al Dalaeen stated that the political parties that won the elections are those with substantial amounts of money in their bank accounts. He noted that we cannot equate parties that possess millions with those that cannot fund their electoral campaigns.

Al Dalaeen further added that the influence of black money in electoral campaigns was apparent, particularly at the local constituency level. According to him, the situation in the region and the war in Gaza contributed to the massive number of votes collected by the Islamic Action Front. However, he highlighted that most people who are eligible to vote did not participate in the elections, as the voter turnout reached 32.25%, which is a low percentage. He mentioned that party lists relied heavily on tribal bases, similar to local constituencies, instead of on political votes, and this led to the weakness of political parties in the Jordanian scene, as the people were not convinced by them. 

Regarding the positive aspects of the new electoral law, Al Dalaeen said that it eliminated the idea of individual votes, which will encourage political parties’ activism within the parliament. He added that the new law provided the opportunity for women to secure more seats, as, for the first time in Jordanian history, women secured 27 seats in parliament.

The dialogue session also hosted Mr. Osama Haymour, former president of the Municipality of Al Russeifa and a candidate on the National Union Party’s list in Al Zarqa’s local constituency. In his intervention, he criticized some parties that gave up on their candidates during electoral campaigns, emphasizing that these elections were an opportunity for both political parties and voters; however, it was not seized in the best way. He further criticized holding the elections in light of the difficult security situation in the region and the potential impact of the war in Gaza on Jordan. According to him, the sentiment of solidarity with Gaza influenced the elections’ results.

Haymour further added that political parties did not spend enough time introducing their programs to the public and preparing their electoral campaigns. He also noted that there is a significant weakness in the understanding of electoral and political party laws among both candidates and voters, and that the procedures to counter black money in the campaigns were not sufficient.

Regarding the experience of leftist parties in the elections, Mr. Ahmad Al Safouti, a leader in the Reform and Renewal Party (Hassad), pointed out that the disagreement among coalition leaders regarding the top name on the electoral list, in addition to their inability to mobilize, led to the weakening of these parties in the electoral competition. Al Safouti stressed that these elections are an opportunity for parties to correct their path and rethink their discourse and programs to present a convincing ideology to the public. According to him, this is the way to achieve a political parliament capable of legislating and monitoring the government. Al Safouti further criticized the favoritism shown toward certain parties, particularly in financial funding.

The attendees expressed that abstention remains a significant issue in the electoral landscape, driven by a sentiment among citizens that participating in elections is pointless and that parliament is unable to address their problems and priorities. For some participants, the experience with the electoral lists of political parties was surprising, and many voters found the law to be unclear.

Part of the audience criticized the programs of certain candidates, describing them as unrealistic and asserting that they made promises they cannot fulfill. They urged political parties with similar platforms from the left and center to unite and avoid individualism in political activism. Other participants believe that these elections did not bring about the expected change, instead reintroducing the same symbols and figures, which undermines their faith in the purpose of the electoral process.

On her part, the Executive Director of the Al Quds Center, Ms. Hala Salem, stressed the necessity of maintaining dialogue and bridging gaps between political parties and citizens in regions with low participation rates. She added that this communication should not be limited to the election period for political parties and civil society organizations, as its influence soon fades after the elections. Salem also presented a reading of the results of political parties in the Al Zarqa governorate, showing that the Islamic Action Front topped the results, followed by the National Islamic Party. Five political parties have presented candidates at the local constituency level.

The president of the Zarqa Camp Services Committee, Mr. Mohammad Al Bourini, welcomed the attendees and stated that the hall of the Zarka Camp Services Committee has long hosted meetings, seminars, and discussions on everything that serves the interests of the nation and its path toward modernization and political reform. He noted that the people of Zarka Camp are actively engaged with all national issues and participate in every initiative to uplift the country, including elections, as they are an integral part of the Jordanian national fabric while also holding steadfastly to their sacred right of return.