The political framework of Jordan

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

King: ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999)
Prime Minister: Jafar HASSAN (since 15 September 2024)

Next Election Dates

House of Representatives: September 2028
Senate: October 2028

Main Political Parties

Jordan remains a monarchy, with the King holding significant executive powers. Political parties were legalized in 1992, but their influence has been limited.

In the 2024 parliamentary elections, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, secured 31 out of 138 seats, marking their highest representation in decades. The 2024 elections saw 107 seats held by political parties, a significant increase from previous elections.

Despite this, tribal and familial networks continue to strongly influence Jordanian politics.

Major Political Parties:

- IAF: 31 seats, Islamist policies

- National Current Party: 21 seats, nationalist

- Eradah Party: 19 seats, reformist

- Taqadum Party: 8 seats, economic development

While party representation has grown, tribal influences remain key in shaping political outcomes.

Executive Power

The head of state in Jordan is the King, and the monarchy is hereditary. The King enjoys executive powers and signs and executes all laws. He appoints and dismisses all judges by decree, approves amendments to the constitution, and has the right to declare war. The King appoints the Prime Minister as head of government, although the Prime Minister does not have a fixed term of office. The Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, is appointed by the King.

Legislative Power

The legislature in Jordan is bicameral. Its Parliament consists of:

- The Senate, with 65 members, who are appointed by the King to serve non-renewable terms.

- The House of Representatives, with 130 members, elected by popular vote based on a mixed-member proportional representation system, to serve four-year terms.

The King’s power of veto may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the National Assembly (the Senate and the House of Representatives).