According to government figures the turnout was 53%, despite a boycott of the Islamic Action Front. The opposition contested the results of the vote, which they considered rigged. 13 women elected, with one more seat than expected.

Amman (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Pro-government candidates and those close to King Abdullah II have triumphed in parliamentary elections in Jordan. There was a turnout of 53%, although the opposition party Islamic Action Front (IAC),  contests that result as rigged as was for the 2007 elections. Of the 120 deputies called to form the lower house of Parliament 78 new members were elected, including 13 women, with one seat more than the number expected from their " reserve quota".

Taher Masri, President of the Senate, said: "Voters have showed their desire for change by electing new faces, which is a positive thing People chose those who are professional in public work, and they did not vote for those who have focused on their personal interests and not parliamentary work".  Prime Minister Samir Rifai said: "The turnout showed that the boycott had no impact on the vote”, but opposition leader Hamzah Mansur questions the official figures:" In my opinion, the real turnout did not exceed 30%. This Parliament is no better than the last, and this time fraud played a major role "

The International Republican Institute, a non-profit and nonpartisan organistaion, which works to promote freedom and democracy throughout the world, defines the vote "credible", and an "improvement" over previous elections. But criticises the electoral law: "The over-representation of rural districts is marked by the controversial single nontransferable voting system [" one man-one vote ", for which a citizen can only vote for one candidate, ed], thus diluting the representation of urban voters".

Defying an IAF boycott, seven Islamist candidates presented themselves as independent. Only one of them was elected.

Incidents of violence tainted election day: a man of 25 was killed during clashes between clans in the southern city of Karak. More riots broke out in different parts of the kingdom, particularly Amman and the northern cities of Irbid and Jerash.

Jordan has been without a Parliament for a year. King Abdullah II dissolved the House after only two years in office, following allegations of inefficiency and corruption among parliamentarians.

• Jordan
• election
• parliament
• fraud
• islamists
• government
• king
• Abdullah