Momani: The new parties and election laws are an advanced case

05 Jul 2022 
Jihad Momani, a member of the board of commissioners of the Independent Electoral Commission, said that the commission seeks to transfer knowledge and learn about the new parties and election laws, which have come into force after their publication in the Official Gazette since last May.
During the independent commission's awareness meeting on the electoral laws and parties on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the Kulluna Jordan Youth Commission Irbid branch, Momani added that this meeting was organized out of a belief in the role of civil society institutions in the process of spreading awareness and education about the two laws, which began today in Irbid governorate as part of a series of dialogue meetings to be held in all governorates of the Kingdom.
He pointed out that these meetings will focus on the relationship of young people with political parties in the future, pointing out that "young people are faced with a choice for their future and for Jordan, and since we have chosen democracy and political reform as a way to reach a more beautiful Jordan where opportunities are equal, and where social justice is achieved, young people must start from now on to think about belonging to parties and interacting with party work in Jordan."
"Young people should spare no effort in knowing and reviewing the two new laws, because they represent an advanced case of legislation governing political action and start thinking seriously about participating in the upcoming elections, not as voters but as candidates because the new law gave young people the opportunity to run from the age of 25 years and above," he said.
He pointed out that after the new amendments, the Independent Electoral Commission has become a hotbed of political reform within two important axes, the first is that party work is the basis, and the second is that election and participation in the electoral process is a national duty to reach those who represent us under the dome.
Momani pointed out that the Commission is the official body sponsoring party work after the transfer of the party register from the Ministry of Political Development to it as a neutral body, especially in the matter and technical work from it, because the registration will be in the Commission, which has become the home of political parties and a knowledge reference for all those wishing to join parties in the future or that wish to correct their status after achieving the required conditions.
He pointed out that the new law will give people absolute freedom to join parties, as long as they adhere to the constitution and Jordanian law, and there is no longer any fear of joining them.
He pointed out that the Commission is currently studying the correction of the situation of political parties, where the deadline for correction and establishment began as of May 15, 2022 and will end on the evening of May 14 next year, and there is sufficient time for parties in the process of correcting their status or merging among them, indicating that there will be a party parliament during the next elections in 2024 if one of the parties meets the necessary conditions.
Al-Momani called on young people in universities and those who have reached the age of 18 to participate in parties, because they will be Jordanian interests and orientations and the interest of Jordan is the basis, knowing that the new law is developed, and for the first time in the next elections will be a national party list recognized by the law, and will constitute a third of the next parliament, i.e. 41 party people out of 130 deputies in parliament, and the law is amendable and developable, and will be amended after 2024 to increase the number of parties and their representatives in parliament until it reaches 60 People.
For his part, the coordinator of the All Jordan Youth Commission Irbid Branch, Samer Marrashida, praised the relations and the real partnership between the Kulluna Jordan Youth Commission and the Independent Commission for political reform and raising the percentage of youth participation in political life, and calling for entry into parties as an appropriate solution and alternative that will change the choices of citizens and voters on a sophisticated and new intellectual and programmatic basis.
At the end of the meeting, there was a detailed dialogue between the audience and Momani on a number of issues related to parties, elections, and political life in Jordan.