Jordan - where folk don't vote

robert99

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http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/18092016
Jordan’s general election marred by lack of interest
There is, however, a general lack of interest in the election among Jordanians. The last time the country had a general election, in 2013, only a quarter of eligible voters took part.

After boycotting the last two elections, in 2010 and 2013, the Muslim Brotherhood this year is running in the general election, mainly because it believes the new election law may give it the upper hand. The Islamic Action Front, considered the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, has formed a coalition with its allies, dubbed the National Coalition for Reform.

“We take part based on the recommendations from our tribes and relatives. But we personally do not believe in the election, because the parliament which should be serving the nation does not do that. For many years the parliament has been used for personal interests,” a woman voter told Rudaw.
 
US's best buddy in the Arab world King Abdullah II (I dread to think what W called him ... Abbey? Abe? Kingy?) - lets the Muslim Brotherhood in to Parliament
Jordanian voters between awakening and apathy | Middle East | DW.COM | 23.09.2016
The first projections have been made and the Muslim Brotherhood is ecstatic: If the numbers from Tuesday's Jordanian parliamentary elections hold, they may well have won 15 to 20 of the house's 130 seats.
According to initial tallies, only 40 percent of Jordan's 4.1 million eligible voters actually participated in the election. Observers see this as evidence of political apathy, for which they also hold the king responsible.

This spring the king pushed through changes to the country's constitution. This gave him complete control over Jordan's security, defense, justice and foreign policy. Moreover, he can decide on filling top governmental leadership positions, among them, the head of Jordan's paramilitary-equipped police force.

Despite international aid, the country's budget is also suffering under pressure placed on it by the 1.4 million Syrian refugees currently living there. The economically difficult situation also makes some portions of the country more susceptible to the recruiting attempts of radical Islamists and jihadists such as "Islamic State" (IS). It is estimated that some 3,000 Jordanians were fighting for IS when the conflicts in Syria and Iraq were at their height.