Ramsco's Women Empowerment Initiative Recognized Among Top BRICS Businesswomen Practices for 2025    Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    Gold prices end July with modest gains    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Egypt's FM, US envoy discuss Gaza ceasefire, Iran nuclear talks    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's EDA explores pharma cooperation with Belarus    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Jordan opposition moves to boycott elections
Published in Daily News Egypt on 25 - 06 - 2012

Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood announced they plan to boycott the Jordanian parliamentary elections scheduled for 2 December.
Opposition parties in Jordan are furious over a new elections law endorsed by parliament that gives every Jordanian voter two votes, one for a local candidate and another for political parties on a closed proportional representation list.
The proportional representation results in 12 percent in the seats the House of Representatives being held bu opposition parties, which amounts to only 17 of the 140 seats in Jordan's lower house of parliament. All members of the upper house of parliament, the Senate, are appointed by the king.
For opposition groups demanding 50 percent of seats, the allocation is simply not enough.
The Brotherhood will meet Thursday in an emergency Shura Council meeting to finalise their decision, but observers like Taylor Luck, senior editor of The Jordan Times, are confident they will follow through on the announcement. “Thursday's meeting is just a formality" he said in a phone interview. “A lot of people will be boycotting if the elections are held under this law", Luck said. He thinks that voter participation will be very low, especially with many people's disenchantment the election law and parliament itself. Luck says that voter turnout in the 2010 parliamentary elections was low; he expects it to be even lower this time.
Following the endorsement of the law, opposition groups including the Muslim Brotherhood took a stand; they would not take part in the elections. Opposition members and activists have taken to the street last Friday in the latest protest of the law which they were hoping would not be endorsed by the Upper House of parliament. Some of the protesters demanded that parliament is dissolved, the Jordanian Times reported.
Opponents of the law find it unfair saying that it is no different than the 2001, one person one vote electoral system, the Muslim Brotherhood did not boycott the 2003 parliamentary elections which were governed under this system, they gained 16 seats in the 110 seated parliament at the time.
According to Al-Monitor news service, the Muslim Brotherhood has recently been courting the “Palestinian bloc" in Jordan which represents over 40 percent of the Jordanian population. It has been the largest voting bloc for Islamists in Parliament, but has been sitting on sidelines during the year and a half long protests which swept Jordan following protests in other Arab countries.
The election law is not the only reason the Jordanian government is being scrutinised by the public. Protesters took to the streets earlier this month decrying the austerity measures recently taken by the government which saw very large increases in the price of electricity and fuel.
According to The Jordan Times, protestors demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister, Fayez Tarawneh amid dismay over the price hikes which the government claims are needed in order to avoid an economic crisis caused by a large and increasing budget deficit. Jordan has been relying heavily on foreign aid to try and overcome its budget deficit which is almost JD 3 billion estimated to be 10.4 percent in 2011, a rise from 7.4 percent in 2010. Experts are saying that it could rise to JD 4 billion by the end of the year, according to Jordanian officials cited by Reuters.


Clic here to read the story from its source.