On 27 September 2020, King Abdullah dissolved the 130-member House of Representatives in view of elections to be held in November (see note 1). The newly elected members included businessmen and representatives of powerful tribes as well as around 20 retired senior military officers. Candidates backed by the main opposition party, the Islamic Action Front (IAF, see note 2), won eight seats, down from 15 in 2016. Only 17 of the 130 members belonged to political parties or currents. Although 360 women stood in the 2020 elections (up from 252 in 2016), only 15 women were elected (all to reserved seats), down from 20 in 2016.

The 2020 elections were held amid the country’s economic crisis. In March 2020, the International Monetary Fund approved $1.3bn in aid for Jordan. The COVID-19 pandemic further aggravated the country’s vital tourist industry. The elections held amid the pandemic recorded a low turnout: only 29.86 per cent of the around 4.6 million eligible voters cast ballots.

Note 1:
The dissolution of the House requires the Cabinet (then led by Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz) to resign within one week. On 7 October, the King appointed veteran diplomat and palace aide Bisher al Khasawneh as the country’s new Prime Minister.

Note 2:
The IAF, led by Mr. Mourad al-Adayleh, is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. In July 2020, the Court of Cassation dissolved the Muslim Brotherhood.