If Americans were unenthused about Tuesday’s (generally abysmal) midterm elections, Jordanians here seem even less invested in the outcome of Parliamentary elections scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 9. Jordan, officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a Constitutional Monarchy currently under the reign of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania. The Jordanian Parliament consists of two bodies: The 120-seat lower house, or National Assembly, which is elected through universal adult suffrage, and the 55-seat upper house, or Senate, whose members are appointed by the King and have greater control over legislation. The King has broad executive powers, including the right to dissolve the National Assembly, as King Abdullah did in November 2009.
Historically, the electoral system in Jordan has benefited rural and tribal areas, the monarchy’s traditional base of support, over urban districts, where most Jordanians of Palestinian decent live. In May 2010, King Abdullah’s cabinet enacted a Temporary Elections Law, which was intended to redress some of these disparities. Despite these changes, however, Jordanian electoral law in practice still favors tribal ties over political parties or ideological affiliations.
When the election season officially began last month, overnight banners appeared throughout the city, covering every available lamppost and street corner. While it is nothing compared to the $4 billion Americans spent on midterm advertising, here is a sampling of what elections in Amman look like from the street.
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