Jordanian protesters reject recent changes to election law

Jordanians have rallied in the capital, Amman, to reject recent changes to election law ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Almost 1,500 Jordanians took to the streets in Amman following the Friday Prayers to protests against the new election law, which allows each voter two separate ballots: one for individual candidates in their governorates and one for parties nationwide.

Jordanians say the changes do not go far enough and do not meet their demands.

“The people want the downfall of the electoral law. If change does not happen, revolt is the solution,” they chanted as they carried a large national flag in the capital.

The demonstrators also chanted slogans against Amman’s economic policies and demanded reforms and an end to corruption.

Similar demonstrations were also held in southern and northern Jordan.

On Thursday, the Muslim Brotherhood’s shura advisory council voted to boycott Jordan’s early polls expected later this year because of “lack of political reform” and the government’s failure to meet the people’s demands.

“We have decided the boycott because we did not want to be part of a conspiracy against reform,” said Salem Falahat, a top Brotherhood leader.

Other opposition groups, including the National Reform Front, headed by former prime minister and intelligence chief Ahmad Obeidat, have also said that they plan to boycott the elections.

Jordanians have been holding street protests demanding political reforms, including the election of the prime minister by popular vote, and an end to corruption since January 2011.

Anti-government protests have intensified in recent weeks after the government increased commodity prices to offset a $3 billion (2.4 billion euro) deficit in this year’s USD 9.6 billion budget.