Jordanian opposition claims election fraud

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – On November 20, Jordan voters went to the polls to elect a new parliament.  Only six of the 22 candidates from the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, won their contested seat.  In the previous election, 17 IAF candidates won and it was expected that a similar number would win again on Tuesday’s election.

The IAF accused the government of election fraud and vote-rigging, which resulted in the election of pro-government candidates.  Government officials admit that 17 individuals were arrested on suspicion of interfering with the election.  Of those, two were arrested on suspicion of vote-buying.  IAF alleged that the electoral monitoring system failed, which allowed election fraud to take place.  Also, the IAF accused the government of bussing in unregistered voters into various polling stations.

IAF’s spokesman, Jamil Abu Bak, stated, “this is an electoral massacre… violations by far exceeded even the last elections… it will have harmful repercussions on the country’s political progress.”  Bak claimed that according to IAF’s own pollings indicated that 16 of its candidates should have won and demanded that in the areas where IAF’s candidates won according to IAF results.  Bak points to Narqa, a strong hold for Islamist support, where the IAF’s candidate did not win.

In addition, the voter turnout was lower, particularly in Amman (about 29%).  In the rest of the country voting levels were about 55% of registered voters.  Higher percentages of voters in rural areas voted, than those from urban areas.  Jordan has a system of proportional representation – which results in people in rural areas being better represented that those in urban areas.  Most people voted according to tribal or family lines, rather than for a specific party.  In addition, some polling stations were kept open two hours longer than others, just so that more people could vote.

For more information, please see:

AFP – US praises Jordan election – 21 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Setback for Jordan’s Islamic Front – 21 November 2007

Associated Press – Allies of Jordan’s king win elections – 21 November 2007

BBC – Jordan Islamists claim poll fraud – 21 November 2007

Reuters – Islamists lose seats in Jordan elections – 21 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Jordan opposition cries foul – 20 November 2007

Author: Impunity Watch Archive