At stake in this election:

• 150 seats in the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: King ABDALLAH II bin Al Hussein
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Fayez AL-TARAWNEH
• Assembly: Jordan has a bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma) consisting of the Senate (Majlis al-Ayan) with 55 seats and the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab) with 150 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The King is hereditary head of state.
• Prime Minister is appointed by the monarch.
• In the Senate (Majlis al-Ayan) 55 members are appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms*. In the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab) 120 members are elected by single non-transferable vote to serve 4-year terms.**

* Members must be former public officials or otherwise notable and at least 40 years of age.

** There are 108 single member constituencies in 45 electoral zones. In June 2012, the parliament adopted a mixed electoral system allowing Jordanians to vote for a closed national list of 27 seats, in addition to the 108 seats reserved for Jordan’s 12 governorates, and it increased the size of the parliament from 120 to 150 seats. It also increased the women’s quota from 12 seats to 15 seats, with the three additional seats reserved for women from Bedouin areas. Additionally, 12 seats are reserved for Christian and Circassian candidates.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Independent(s): Independents*
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in last House of Deputies election: N/A

* Most independents are members of indigenous tribes who are loyal to King ABDULLAH .

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 6,517,912 (2010)
• Registered Voters: 2,370,000 (November 2010 est.)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 3,158,206 (2010)

·         Is Jordan a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (3 December 1980)

·         Has Jordan ratified CEDAW: Yes (1 July 1992)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 13 (following the 2010 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 80 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Jordan a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Jordan ratified CRPD: Yes (31 March 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 977,686 (est.)