AMMAN: Women and Islamists lost out in Jordan’s parliamentary vote this week, according to results announced Thursday by the electoral commission.

The election for the 130-seat parliament — 15 of which are reserved for women — was marked by low turnout and overshadowed by the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has dealt a heavy blow to the Arab country’s already debt-ridden economy.

Only 29.9 percent of the around 4.5 million eligible voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s election, choosing among 1,674 candidates, of which 360 were women.

The last election in 2016 saw a turnout of 36 percent.

Parliament has limited authority in Jordan, where the king has wide powers to rule by decree, but it has provided a platform for the opposition when it has not boycotted elections.

Only the requisite 15 women were elected, down from 20 in the outgoing parliament, Independent Election Commission chairman Khaled al-Kalaldeh told a news conference in Amman. A hundred newcomers will join the new parliament, including around 20 retired senior military officers, though the house remains dominated by businessmen and representatives of powerful tribes.—AFP