• Al Quds Center for Political Studies in Al Russeifa to present and assess the results of political parties in the elections.
• Participants: We expect a parliament that meets the Challenges and urge political parties to assess their experiences and adjust their course.

With the participation of 80 activists from the city of Al Russeifa and its surroundings, the Al Quds Center for Political Studies, in cooperation with Al Ruwwad Cultural Club, organized a dialogue session titled 'The 2024 Election Results: How Do We Build on the Achievements? And What Roles Should Representatives and Political Parties Play to Enhance Participation?' The meeting featured Member of Parliament Mr. Raed Rabbaa, author and journalist Mr. Ahmad Abu Khalil, and the Director-General of the Al Quds Center for Political Studies, Mr. Oraib Al Rantawi.

In his remarks, MP Rabbaa addressed the importance of the electoral process and its role in establishing and solidifying the path of political modernization. He emphasized that the course of the electoral process has confirmed a level of political recovery among citizens, as reflected in the results of the elections. Rabbaa noted that the elections demonstrated the need to amend the electoral law, particularly concerning the national constituency, and he highlighted the necessity of intensifying efforts to combat the spread of black money.

Regarding the upcoming period, Rabbaa affirmed that Jordan faces alarming challenges, noting that this period will be critical and sensitive. It will place significant burdens on Parliament. He concluded by emphasizing that his priorities are centered on three main points: Jordan's security and stability, the Palestinian cause, and the daily lives of citizens.

Abu Khalil, for his part, presented the stages of the development of parliamentary life and the impact of successive electoral laws on the voting behavior of candidates and voters. He emphasized that the legislation since 1993 has led to several electoral phenomena, including the strengthening of the roles of clans, families, and 'regions' as tools and channels for accessing parliament. He also noted that the service-oriented role of representatives has been reinforced due to the official institution's neglect of many of its service functions.

Regarding partisan life, Abu Khalil stated that newly formed political parties have not provided citizens with the means to distinguish between them. He explained that this is due to the fact that these parties are generally led by individuals from the same background, which prevents differentiation between their programs, as they tend to be similar without distinct characteristics.

In his remarks, Al Rantawi pointed out that voter turnout rates have not risen to the expected levels. In Al Russeifa, he clarified that the turnout rate increased by only about 2% to 3%, which is consistent with the national turnout rate of approximately 32%. As for the reasons for low participation, Al Rantawi mentioned that this can be attributed to a lack of trust in the electoral process and the regression of the status of the House of Representatives within the Jordanian political system, stemming from the weak performance of the National Assembly in both oversight and legislative functions. Additionally, he noted that one reason for low participation is the lack of a link between election results and government formation. Al Rantawi explained that in many countries, citizens vote to choose their representatives for forming governments, emphasizing the need to adhere to the path of modernization to achieve parliamentary governments.

Regarding the last electoral experience, Al Rantawi clarified that the integrity observed on Election Day should encourage citizens to participate in future elections. He also noted that the results of political parties will compel them to work harder and reassess their positions in light of their modest outcomes. He emphasized that political parties must continuously engage with the priorities of citizens. In this context, he mentioned that the repercussions of the war on Gaza have significantly contributed to the impressive successes of the Islamic Action Front.

Al Rantawi called on political parties to focus on renewing their organization and policies, especially those that have failed in several electoral cycles. He also emphasized the importance of parties reaching out to all regions.
Regarding the participants' remarks and questions, they centered around the weakness and absence of party programs and their similarities, as well as the impact of tribal factors on the formation of electoral lists and the voting behavior of citizens. This factor has contributed to the lack of promotion for parties' electoral lists by party-affiliated candidates on local lists.

Participants highlighted the importance of examining the figures and statistics regarding the occurrence of approximately 250 blank ballots in the general constituency box, stressing the need to study this voting behavior, which reflects a lack of trust in partisan activism. They also emphasized the necessity of achieving fairness in the representation of governorates in terms of seat distribution, asserting that Zarqa Governorate is one of the underrepresented areas in terms of the ratio between the number of seats and the population.

Dr. Hassan Al Darbashi, the former president of Al Ruwwad Cultural Club, opened the meeting and moderated the discussions. He raised a series of questions related to the mechanisms of forming electoral lists, the results they achieved, and the voting behavior showed during the elections. He also posed questions concerning the obstacles and requirements for achieving parliamentary governments.