Jordan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced in a press conference on Wednesday, September 11, the endorsement of the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections that took place on Tuesday, September 10. 32.25% of all eligible voters participated in the elections.
The results indicate the clear victory of Jordan’s largest opposition party, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The IAF won 31 out of 138 seats, according to the IEC, triple what they won in the last elections. According to Al Jazeera, the result is historic for the Islamists in Jordan, and is their largest representation since 1989, when they won 22 out of 80 seats in the parliamentary elections.
The IEC, which is in charge of administering and supervising elections in accordance with the Jordanian Constitution, also announced that the results will be published in the official gazette on Thursday, September 12.
The head of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan Murad al-Adailah told Reuters on Wednesday, that “the elections reflect the desire for change and those who voted were not necessarily all Islamists but wanting change and had become fed up with the old ways.” Moreover, al-Adailah connected the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood to the Jordanian people’s support of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, especially after October 7 attacks.
Al-Adailah described the Muslim Brotherhood’s win in the elections as a “popular referendum” which upholds their support for Hamas, their ideological allies, and their demand to terminate Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel, also known as Wadi Araba treaty.
The results of the elections conveyed the Jordanian people’s unshakable stance in solidarity with armed resistance against Israel. Whereas, the Jordanian government has endeavored to maintain its diplomatic ties with Israel, and boost its relations with the United States, which has provided Israel with unlimited financial and military support prior and during its genocide in the Gaza strip.
The unprecedented shooting attack carried out by Jordanian truck driver Maher al-Jazi at Jordan-Israel border crossing on September 8, leaving three Israeli border guards killed, is believed to have further driven a wedge between the Jordan’s government and its people. Jordanians have constantly demanded their government end all forms of cooperation with Israel. After the attack, Israeli Occupation Forces swiftly killed Al-Jazi and confiscated his body. Now, Jordanians’ most pressing demand from the Jordanian government is to return his body.
