3 main paths shaped the party reality in Jordan

The Jordanian party map has witnessed successive transformations in recent years, following the implementation of the Political Parties Law No. 7 of 2022, and subsequent procedures to reconcile legal situations, and integration processes between several parties, alongside the dissolution of parties by judicial decisions and the establishment of new political entities, leading to the stabilization of the number of existing parties at 30 parties, comprising 84,496 members, according to the latest statistical data.

These transformations open the door to a broader reading of the party reality in the Kingdom, not limited to the reduction in the number of parties from 38 parties before the 2024 parliamentary elections, but extending to the nature of the mergers and their impact on forming more cohesive political forces, the composition of membership in terms of youth and women participation, the geographical distribution of affiliates, and the ability of parties to establish their societal presence and present clear political programs.

The latest statistical data on political parties in the Kingdom showed that the number of existing parties reached 30 parties, comprising 84,496 members (male and female), in a transformation witnessed by the Jordanian party map since the parliamentary elections of 2024, as a result of the integration of several parties, alongside the dissolution of parties by judicial decisions, and the establishment of a new party.

According to the data, the number of male members was 49,200 members, representing 58.23% of the total affiliates, compared to 35,296 female members representing 41.77%, while the number of youth aged between 18 and 35 years was 29,412 members.

In terms of geographical distribution, the capital Amman topped the governorates in terms of party membership with 28.51%, followed by Irbid with 20.39%, then Zarqa with 14.54%, Balqa with 9.33%, Mafraq with 5.40%, Karak with 5.28%, Jerash with 3.85%, Ajloun with 3.72%, Madaba with 2.62%, while Ma'an and Aqaba each accounted for 2.15%, and Tafila 1.79%.

The Jordanian party map has witnessed successive transformations since the parliamentary elections of 2024, with the number of parties decreasing from 38 parties to 30 existing parties, as a result of legal and regulatory paths that included integration and judicial dissolution, in addition to the establishment of a new party.

In the framework of organizing party work, the Political Parties Law No. 7 of 2022 approved a new legal framework, which obliged the parties existing at that time to reconcile their situations according to its provisions. In May 2023, the Independent Election Commission announced the end of the legal period for reconciling situations, explaining that 26 parties had completed the legal requirements, while 19 parties had not completed those requirements, and were considered dissolved according to the provisions of Article 40/b of the law.

With the subsequent phase coming into effect, integration emerged as one of the main factors in reshaping the party scene, where the Independent Election Commission approved in February 2024 the models for the procedures of integration and alliance of political parties, based on the Political Parties Law and the executive instructions regulating their affairs.

The integration processes resulted in the formation of 4 political parties, namely: the Jordanian National Union Party: in which the Blessed Land, Jordanian Youth, and Jordanian National Union parties merged on July 13, 2025, within the framework of reshaping the party entity, following an integration path that included the National Current Party and the Jordanian National Union Party.

Initiative Party: formed after the merger of the Will and Progress parties, and the merger became legally effective on October 14, 2025, making the Initiative Party the legal and factual successor of the two parties.

Nima Party: in which the Jordanian Ansar Party merged on November 9, 2025, and the Nima Party became the legal and factual successor of the Ansar Party, which was considered dissolved by law.

Change Party: formed on March 16, 2026, following the merger of the New Approach, Jordanian Shura, and National Integration parties into one political entity.

In parallel with the integration processes, the Jordanian Conservative Party completed its establishment procedures, to be added to the register of political parties in the Kingdom.

These processes led to a decrease in the number of parties from 38 to 31 parties, before the number decreased again to 30 parties as a result of the dissolution of the Jordanian Tomorrow Party by a judicial decision.

Dr. Muhammad Al-Farjat, a member of the Royal Committee for Modernizing the Political System, said that the decrease in the number of Jordanian parties from 38 to 30 parties reflects a movement in the party scene, whether due to mergers or legal and regulatory procedures, but it opens the door for a deeper review of the reality of party work and its ability to convince the public.

Al-Farjat added, in a statement to Al-Rai, that the challenge does not lie in the number of parties, but in their ability to build real popular bases, and present realistic national programs that respond to the priorities of citizens and meet their needs.

He stressed the importance of encouraging the integration of parties that are close in ideology, programs, and orientations, explaining that unifying efforts, expertise, and resources would enhance the presence of parties and their ability to work and influence, provided that the integration is based on program compatibility and a shared vision, not just a collection of names and leaders.

Al-Farjat emphasized the need for strong institutional parties, renewed in their leadership, capable of attracting talents and youth, and providing practical alternatives to economic and social challenges, away from personalization and narrow interests.

He pointed out that the coming phase requires a transition from numerical party pluralism to real programmatic competition, in which parties can convince the public and gain their trust, leading to achieving a parliamentary majority that paves the way for the formation of party governments, matched by an active and responsible parliamentary opposition.

He explained that achieving this goal requires strong parties with their programs, popular bases, and democratic practices, noting that the success of the party experiment is not measured by the number of registered parties, but by their ability to represent citizens, bear responsibility, and participate in managing the state and making decisions.

In a reading of the transformations witnessed by the Jordanian party map, Professor Dr. Betty Al-Saqrat, from the University of Jordan and a member of the Azm Party, believes that party pluralism is a democratic necessity, but the abundance of parties does not necessarily mean the strength of political life, especially when they are similar in their ideas, programs, and orientations.

Al-Saqrat added in her talk to Al-Rai, that the existence of many parties belonging to the same current may lead to the dispersion of efforts and voices, and limit their ability to make a real impact on the political scene.

She adds that the integration of ideologically and program-wise similar parties represents an important step towards building more cohesive and influential political forces, and the transition from parties linked to individuals to parties based on programs and institutional work, which enhances citizen confidence in party work and gives them clearer and more effective options.

Al-Saqrat emphasizes that the current phase requires a serious review of the party experiment, based on prioritizing the national interest over individual interests, and unifying efforts where visions and programs intersect, while preserving the right to difference and pluralism.

Regarding judicial rulings, Al-Saqrat stresses respect and pride in the impartial and independent Jordanian judiciary, confirming that the rule of law and respect for judicial rulings form a solid foundation for a state of institutions.

She believes that the development of party life and the improvement of its practices should proceed within the framework of the constitution and the law, in order to enhance confidence in national institutions and preserve their status.

The current membership data reflects an aspect of the social nature of party work in Jordan, in the presence of more than 84,000 male and female members in the existing parties, with youth participation reaching 29,412 members, alongside a female presence of 35,296.

Geographically, the largest percentage of membership is concentrated in the governorates with high population density, as Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, and Balqa together account for about 72.77% of the total members, according to the latest statistical data, while the rest of the membership is distributed among other governorates.

These indicators suggest that the transformation in the party scene was not limited to the reduction in the number of parties, but also included the reshaping of political entities through integration, in conjunction with the continued existence of a party base exceeding 84,000 members, with varying distribution rates between governorates, age groups, and genders. Thus, the transition from 38 parties before the 2024 parliamentary elections to 30 parties currently came as a result of successive stages, starting with the implementation of the requirements of the Political Parties Law, passing through the integration processes that brought together several parties into new entities, and culminating in the judicial dissolution of the Jordanian Tomorrow Party, in the context of reshaping the Jordanian party map.