JORDAN: Polling stations close and counting begins in Jordan's parliamentary election

Record ID: 327888

  • Title: JORDAN: Polling stations close and counting begins in Jordan's parliamentary election
  • Date: 23rd January 2013
  • Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (JANUARY 23, 2013) (REUTERS) PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE POLLING STATION POLICE CLOSE THE EXTERNAL GATE LEADING TO THE VOTING STATION VARIOUS OF THE LAST GROUP OF VOTERS VOTING MEMBER OF THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION (IEC) CLOSING THE DOOR TO A VOTING ROOM MEMBERS OF THE IEC CHECKING THE INTEGRITY OF THE SEAL ON THE BALLOT BOX MEMBER OF THE IEC BREAKING THE SEAL ON THE BALLOT BOX IEC FLIP THE BOX AND PLACE THE BALLOTS ON A TABLE IEC START CHECKING THE BALLOTS CLOSE UP OF THE IEC MEMBER'S HANDS STACKING THE BALLOTS VARIOUS OF IEC CHECKING THE BALLOTS
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jordan
  • Country: Jordan
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABTX1WUX4YCRYS9KEIIP9C4IML
  • Story Text: Jordanians voted in their first parliamentary election since the Arab uprisings on Wednesday (January 23) without the participation of the main Islamist party, which is demanding an end to official corruption and a louder voice for the urban poor.
    The Muslim Brotherhood says the electoral system is rigged to sideline large towns and cities where it is strongest in favour of rural tribal areas where conservative, pro-government political forces are entrenched.
    Turnout was 47 percent by around 1500 GMT, officials said, but Islamists accused the authorities of trying to inflate a low turnout to disguise the impact of their boycott. Official results were expected on Thursday (January 24).
    The Brotherhood's absence has reduced the election to a contest between tribal leaders, establishment figures and businessmen, with just a few of the 1,500 candidates running for recognised parties. Allegations of vote buying are rife.
    The Independent Electoral Commission extended the voting deadline by an hour to accommodate late voters, but by 8pm local time, the doors to the voting stations were closed, and the ballot boxes were opened for counting.
    Out of the 3.7 million Jordanians eligible to vote, 2.3 million registered for the elections. The Independent Electoral Commission estimates the percentage of voters around the Kingdom to have reached around 56 percent.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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