Amman — Minister of Local Administration and Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al-Masri said the provisions of the 2026 regulation governing the number of municipal council members and the division of electoral districts, which has been referred to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau, do not differ significantly in substance from those contained in the previous regulations.
Al-Masri said the amendments will focus on provisions concerning four municipalities that were separated from larger municipalities in 2023: Bani Ubaid from Greater Irbid Municipality, Rajm Al-Shami from Al-Muwaqqar Municipality, Jarina from Greater Madaba Municipality, and Ghor Al-Mazra’a from Southern Jordan Valley Municipality.
In statements to Al-Ghad, he said the provisions will determine the number of council members for these municipalities and whether any changes will be made to municipal boundaries, areas and electoral districts.
The 100 municipalities in Jordan currently have a total of around 1,018 municipal council members, according to the 2021 decision governing the number of council members, the division of municipal areas into electoral districts and the number of representatives for each district. This figure includes seats allocated to women under the quota system across 409 electoral districts.
Al-Masri stressed that the regulation has been given an urgent status, as it is expected to be issued before the new Local Administration Law of 2026 enters into force on November 9.
A session is scheduled to be held at the Legislation and Opinion Bureau today to review the regulation and consider any amendments to its provisions. Al-Masri expects work on the regulation to be completed by the end of the day, paving the way for its submission to the Legal Committee next Tuesday.
The Cabinet had approved the justifications for the draft regulation during a session held last Sunday, chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, in preparation for referring it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to complete the procedures for its adoption in accordance with the law.
The draft regulation implements the provisions of Local Administration Law No. 16 of 2026, enabling the Independent Election Commission to proceed with preparations for municipal elections scheduled for the first half of 2027.
The regulation aims to determine the number of council members in Jordan’s 104 municipalities, establish the division of municipal areas and organize their elections, thereby enabling citizens to choose their representatives in fulfillment of the constitutional entitlement.
The regulation also takes into account the new quota for women’s representation, which has been raised to 30% under the new law, compared with 25% under the 2021 Local Administration Law. It also determines the number of municipal council members in the newly established municipalities of Bani Ubaid, Ghor Al-Mazra’a, Jarina and Rajm Al-Shami.
The government had confirmed that, following the adoption of the Local Administration Law, which was published in the Official Gazette on September 10 after being approved by the National Assembly and receiving Royal Assent, it would amend regulations related to the law, including this draft regulation.
The Local Administration Law is aligned with the recommendations of the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System, the objectives of the Economic Modernization Vision and the Public Sector Modernization Roadmap. It also reflects King Abdullah II’s directives to the government, outlined in the Royal Letter of Designation, to review and improve legislation governing local administration, as well as commitments made by the government in its ministerial statement to develop a legislative framework that enhances municipal performance and links it to comprehensive development.
The law seeks to strengthen local governance, improve the quality of services, expand community participation and empower municipalities to play a developmental and investment role that contributes to stimulating local economies across the governorates.
In this context, the law maintains the direct and secret election of municipal council presidents and members. It also supports development and investment planning by ensuring representation of elected bodies and less-developed areas, while guaranteeing geographical representation to achieve a fairer distribution of development projects and opportunities.
The law was drafted following a series of intensive consultations held by the government with the House of Representatives, the Senate, relevant committees, parliamentary blocs and specialists. It also took into account ideas and proposals submitted, as well as the findings of opinion polls and studies conducted on the legislation, with the aim of ensuring that it reflects realities on the ground and citizens’ aspirations.
Source: Al-Ghad
