Amman | Polling stations opened Tuesday morning in Jordan for legislative elections without major stakes in a country sinking into an economic crisis made worse by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
More than 50,000 members of the security forces have been deployed in the 12 governorates to ensure the smooth running of the process and in particular compliance with the health rules linked to the epidemic.
The latest assessment provided Monday evening by the authorities of the kingdom, which has 10 million inhabitants, shows some 115,000 people infected with COVID-19, of whom 1,295 have died.
Open since 7 a.m. local time (5 a.m. GMT), the polling stations will close at 7 p.m. (5 p.m. GMT).
Voters must wear a mask and gloves and, using a pen used only by themselves, and tick on a ballot the list of their choice.
The electoral commission said those infected with the virus and those in quarantine should not vote, or risk a one-month prison sentence.
Some 4.5 million voters are called upon to choose the 130 deputies of the Chamber, including 15 seats reserved for women.
The choice must be made among 1674 candidates, including 360 women, for a ballot without major stake, the Parliament playing a limited role in the governance of the country where the king holds broad powers.
Among the candidates are representatives of the main tribal clans, independents and figures of the left as well as a large number of wealthy businessmen.
The first opposition force, the Islamic Action Front (FAI), a political branch of the Muslim Brotherhood movement dissolved in July, is also taking part in this election.
The party had 17 seats, the largest number of deputies, in the outgoing Parliament, which had no majority group.
Jordan is facing a difficult economic situation, with an unemployment rate of 23% in the first quarter of 2020. It has been the scene of protests calling in particular for wage increases.
The new coronavirus has had a strong impact in particular on the vital tourism sector, which has lost around 2.5 billion euros in revenue in the first eight months of this year, and thousands of jobs are at risk.