CrossFireArabia
Islamist made a huge win in Jordan’s 20th parliamentary elections, registering a never-before number of seats the Kingdom’s bicameral legislature.
The Kingdom’s Independent Election Commission (IEC), chairman Musa Maaytah, announced that the Islamic Action Front, which is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, won a massive 31 seats to the Lower House in the latest parliamentary elections held, Tuesday, including four women.
The party is elated to have so many members in a reformed Lower whose total seats today stands at 138 including 18 quota seats allocated to women and who won nine extra seats outside the quota hiking up their total 27.
“We thank our great Jordanian people who gave us this precious trust with nearly half a million electoral votes for the national list, in addition to the local lists. In this context, we affirm that the first winner today is the homeland and the advanced results we have achieved will enhance the strength, resilience and stability of our state. The supreme national interests have always been in our sights and are the focus of our attention,” an IAF party statement emphasized.
“We affirm our firm approach in seeking to serve our people, defend their causes, bear the concerns of its citizens, strive to achieve their hopes, and remain steadfast in our choice to support the Palestinian resistance, which constitutes the first line of defense for Jordan in the face of Zionist ambitions and displacement and alternative homeland plans,” it tolds Quds Press.
The current parliamentary elections were held under a new electoral law, which increased the number of members of the House from 130 to 138, 41 of whom were allocated to political parties.
The elected Lower House is part of Jordan’s bicameral parliament that includes a Senate of 69 members appointed by King Abdullah. Parliament can withdraw confidence from the government, pass laws, and issue legislation.
105 party members
This is the first elections in Jordan to be fought along party lines. Maaytah said the 105 party members won seats in this elections according to the Jordan Times. He added their win represents 75 percents of the total seats.
He added that Al Mithaq Party won 21 seats, Irada Party 19 seats and the Taqadum Party clenched eight seats.
According to the IEC the overall voter turn out was 32.25 percent with 1,638,348 million out of an eligible electorates of 5,115,219, who cast their votes in the elections.
