The National Assembly of Jordan (Al Majlis al-Umma), has two chambers: the House of Deputies (Al Majlis Al Nuwaab) and the Upper House, or Royal Council (Al Majlis Al Aayan).

1) The House of Deputies

• Number of seats: 110 (6 seats are reserved for women, 9 for 38Christians and 3 for 756Circassians) 
• Term of legislature: 4 years
• Required age for voting: 18
• Required age for membership: 30
• Constituencies: 45

During the latter 1970s and early 1980s, the Jordanian Parliament was suspended and legislative powers reverted to the executive branch. An appointed National Consultative Council was created to advise and support the executive (1978-1984). The 9th House of Representatives restarted it works in 1984 and ruled until 1989 elections. Political parties were still illegal and candidates run without official party affiliation (though in many cases this was popularly known). A new Political Parties Law was issued in 1992 and political parties were legalised.

Legislative elections 1997

Affiliation	Seats (total of 80)
Independents of various tendencies	75 (1), (2)
National Constitutional Party - Centrist (3)	2
Socialist Arab Baath Party -Nationalist	1
Unionist Democratic Party -Leftist	1
Arab Land Party - Nationalist	1
Jordanian Communist Party	-

(1) These include 68 tribal chiefs.
(2) Independent Centrist -57, Independent Nationalist -9, Independent Islamist -7, Independent Leftist -2.
(3) The National Constitutional Party formed in May 1997 is a merger of nine pro-government centrist parties.
(*) The Islamic Action Front boycotted the elections to this Parliament. However, some of the members run as independent candidates.
These elections were largely boycotted by some opposition parties (the Muslim Brothers through their "political" arm, the Islamic Action Front Party, and most left-wing parties). These parties called for:
     - the abolition of the electoral system which favours the prominent Beduin tribes and families -King Hussein،¦s power base- to the detriment of political parties,
     - the suppression of a restrictive press law voted in May 1997,
     - the cancellation of the Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty.
Some members of these parties nevertheless ran for the elections as independent candidates. Only five political parties, out of the 19 existing in the country participated in the elections.

The overwhelming majority of the 13th Parliament members were pro-government: the tribal chiefs (elected as independents) and the deputies of the National Constitutional Party.
The number of members representing islamist, pan-arabist, left-wing and liberal leanings was less than it was in the previous two parliaments. There were 6 Islamist deputies (two of whom are prominent leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood), 7 Pan-Arabist and left-wing deputies and 3 liberal Pan-Arabist deputies.

Out of a total of 524 candidates of Palestinian origin ran for elections in 16 different constituencies, mostly in north and central constituencies (Zarqa, Amman and Irbid). The number of candidates who actually was elected was 14.

The only woman in the 12th Parliament, Ms. Tujan Faisal, was not re-elected in 1997. None of the 16 other women candidates to the 1997 election was elected. Thus, women were totally absent from the 13th Parliament. The total number of votes given to the 17 women candidates reached 13,086, or 1.6% of the total number of voters. In the 1989 election, there were 12 women candidates who were given 20,530 votes, or about 1.01% of the total votes, while there were three women candidates in the 1993 election who were given 3,933 votes, or less than 0.05% of the total number of voters.

Last Legislative elections: 17 June 2003

(1) These include 40 tribal chiefs.
(2) IAF representation is expected to be boosted by six IAF sympathisers or for members who run as independents.

The new Elections Law, issued by Royal decree on July 22, 2001  (1), included, amongst others, the following aspects:
- it raised the number of the parliament seats from 80 to 110,
- it reserved six seats for women,
- it increased the number of constituencies from 21 to 44,
- it redistributed parliamentary seats,
- it lowered the voting age from 19 to 18.

The 2001 Election Law kept the controversial one-man-one vote system introduced in 1993, which many critics contested it increased tribal domination of elections. Under this system, voters can cast only one ballot, whereas before they could cast as many ballots as there are seats in the constituency.

These elections were of special importance because it was the first under the rule of 341King Abdallah since he assumed power, because the Islamic parties decided to join it and because tehse elections came after the invasion of Iraq and the announcement of the Road Map for peace in the Middle East. Since the dissolution of the Parliament in 2001, the King had postponed the elections twice because of fear about possible consequences from the popular anger over Israeli-Palestinian situation.

In 2003 elections, there were 765 candidates competing for the 110 seats. The overall turnout was 58,87% (lower percentage than in 1993 -69%- and 1989 -62%-). The highest turnout, 86%, was registered in the constituency of Karak, while the lowest ratio, 44,62%, was in Amman, confirming earlier predictions that tribal and rural regions would witnes a higher interest in voting than densely populated urban areas. Female participation stood at 54%. Almost two thirds of the deputies are first time in duty. Pan-Arabist and Baathist candidates were left out of the Parliamentarian life. None of the 54 female candidates was elected outright in these elections. However, a Special Commission chose for the six who gathered the highest number of votes to fill the quota of seats reserved for them.

The Islamic Action Front, Jordanian largest opposition party, won 16 seats (it had presented 30 candidates). This is the lowest representation since Parliament was restored in 1989 (2). The IAF's first ever female candidate, Hayat Al Museimi, was the highest among female candidates throughout the Kingdom. After the elections some blocs rose to the surface: the National parliamentary Action Front, leaded by Abdul Hadi Majali, with 30 deputies; the Democratic bloc, with 12 Liberals MPs, including former Mayor of Amman, Mamdouh Abbadi; Al Watan, with 23 deputies. The composition of blocks can vary in the future. The first task of the newly elected Lower House was the discussion of the government's overall policies during the past two years.

Abdul Hadi al-Majali was elected Speaker of the House in the first Extraordinary session hold immediately after the elections. This is his 5th speakership. The term of office for a parliament speaker lasts just one year, and parliamentary elections are organized every year for the presidency of parliament at the opening of the ordinary session of the parliament.

2) The Upper House

• Number of seats: 55
• Term of legislature: 4 years
• Required age for membership: 40

The 55 Senators are appointed by the King. (the number of Senators can not be more than half of the deputies. In the previous legislature they were numbered 40).

The last renewal of the Senate took place in Noovember 2003. By a Royal decree, King Abdullah appointed the new 55 members (including 4 women) and the spokesman of the House, Zeid Rifai, who had been on the post in the previous Council. 

THE EXECUTIVE

The King, exercises the executive authority by appointing the Prime Minister and the ministers. According to the Constitution, the Government supervising the elections, has to resign afterwards. The King has the option of appointing the same Prime Minister or choosing a new candidate. The Lower House has to confirm the Cabinet. If the Parliament votes against the Cabinet, or against an individual minister, this has to resign.

According to the Constitution, the government that supervises elections has to resign afterwards. The King, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, also appoints the members of the Upper House and authorises the appointment and dismissal of judges, regional governors and the mayor of Amman.

Notes :
(1) King Abdallah had disolved the parliament in June 2001. he appointed a Committee to draft the Elections Law. Hence, the Law didn،¦t passed through the parliament.
(2) Except for the 13th Parliament as the IAF had boycotted the elections.

Sources:
Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research Centre (Amman)
Inter-Parliamentary Union

See also: 
JORDAN
Jordan, electoral system

For more information:
Jordan National Assembly

(December 2003)