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2007 Assessment

Jordan: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Jordan: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Election Integrity
Indicators		Score
17	In law, is there an election monitoring agency or set of election monitoring agencies/entities?	0
18	Is the election monitoring agency effective?	0
19	Are elections systems transparent and effective?	54

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

In law, is there an election monitoring agency or set of election monitoring agencies/entities?

17: In law, is there an election monitoring agency or set of election monitoring agencies/entities?

Score:

YES

Comments: However, there is no independent agency for election observation. There are ad hoc seasonal coalitions from civil society organizations.

References: Election Law # 27 of 2002, which stipulates that each candidate has the right to send representatives to the polling stations to observe the process [ LINK ]

Is the election monitoring agency effective?

18a: In law, the agency or set of agencies/entities is protected from political interference.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Amman Center for Human Rights Studies [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: Since there is no such agency, this question is not applicable.

Peer Review Comments: This question is not applicable, as there is no such agency.

18b: In practice, agency (or set of agencies/entities) appointments are made that support the independence of the agency.

Score:

100

Comments: Independent monitoring agencies were not allowed to observe the counting of votes in the November 2007 parliamentary elections. The government-appointed National Center for Human Rights worked hard to create an umbrella for election monitoring and had very little success because it deployed only 100 observers around the country.

References: Interview with Dr. Mohammed Al Masri, researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS), University of Jordan, in Amman, Jordan

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung [ LINK ]

18c: In practice, the agency or set of agencies/entities has a professional, full-time staff.

Score:

100

Comments: The election monitoring was set up ad hoc and included temporary appointees.

References: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: The government did not allow any independent entities to monitor the elections.

18d: In practice, the agency or set of agencies/entities makes timely, publicly available reports following an election cycle.

Score:

100

Comments: Although the Prime Minister and other officials have declared the elections to be free and fair, no report on the many alleged irregularities has yet been issued by the government. However, the National Center for Human Rights issued a report about municipal elections (held at the end of July 2007) and cited irregularities.

References: Mohammad Ben Hussein, "Jordan's Political Apathy Threatens Polls," The Media Line, October 5, 2007 [ LINK ] [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: The National Center for Human Rights issued a report in which they identified some violations and requested the government to issue a new elections law.

Peer Review Comments: We only got the official report from the minister of Internal Affairs after the elections.

18e: In practice, when necessary, the agency or set of agencies/entities imposes penalties on offenders.

Score:

100

Comments: Despite evidence of many irregularities, no action has been taken against the offenders.

References: Mohammad Ben Hussein, "Jordan's Political Apathy Threatens Polls," The Media Line, October 5, 2007 [ LINK ]

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: There were some cases that were referred to courts.

Peer Review Comments: Some cases were brought before the Jordanian courts.

Are elections systems transparent and effective?

19a: In practice, there is a clear and transparent system of voter registration.

Score:

100

Comments: Individuals must obtain a voter card (which is the ID card) to be allowed to vote. The ID card must have the name of the district in which a citizen wants to vote.

References: Jordan Times, February 4, 2003 [ LINK ]

19b: In law, election results can be contested through the judicial system.

Score:

YES

Comments: There are means for challenging irregularities as they occur on election day, but no way to formally challenge the overall results of the election. People can challenge the credibility of an MP--not through the judicial system, but through the newly elected Parliament. For the 15th Parliament (elected on 20 November 2007), about 20 MPs were challenged, including the Speaker of the House.

References: Chapter 5 of the Internal Law of the House, which contains Articles 22-34, covering the process and regulations for contesting the results of elections

Election Law # 27 of 2002 [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: There are many individuals who ask that the procedures be changed, in order to allow contesting the results before the courts.

19c: In practice, election results can be effectively appealed through the judicial system.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Interview with Adel Hawatmeh, researcher and former office manager at the House of Deputies

Peer Review Comments: This is not applicable.

19d: In practice, the military and security forces remain neutral during elections.

Score:

100

Comments: The military did not use force, but evidence suggests they were bused across the country to increase support for certain candidates during the municipal elections of July 2007. No such evidence was reported for the parliamentary elections of November 2007.

References: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: The National Center for Human Rights mentioned that some candidates were harassed by the security forces. Mention should be made that military and security forces are not allowed to participate in parliamentary elections, but only in municipal elections.

19e: In law, domestic and international election observers are allowed to monitor elections.

Score:

YES

Comments: Candidates are allowed to have delegates observe the election at each polling center, but there are no additional provisions allowing other domestic or foreign observers. Representatives of candidates are not allowed to oversee the counting of votes at the polling stations. However, they are allowed to be in the room.

Some local and international organizations were allowed to oversee the process from outside the polling stations. Representatives of the National Center for Human Rights were allowed in the polling stations, but did not oversee vote counting.

References: Election Law # 27 of 2002. [ LINK ]

19f: In practice, election observers are able to effectively monitor elections.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: Election observers have unfettered access to polling sites, counting stations, and voters themselves. The government does not interfere with the observers\' activities. <p>50 Score Criteria: Election observers generally have access to polling sites, counting stations, and voters but encounter restrictions in certain areas. The government may impose burdensome regulatory or bureaucratic requirements on observers to discourage their involvement. <p>0 Score Criteria: Election observers\' movements are significantly limited by the government and many polling and counting sites are restricted or barred from observers. The government imposes so many bureaucratic or regulatory burdens on the observers that their mission is rendered ineffective.$

Comments: Local NGOs were prohibited from observing the municipal elections (July 2007), although US Embassy officials, among others, were allowed to observe.

References: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung [ LINK ]

Peer Review Comments: We do not have this information.