Tribal movement wins Jordan vote amid Islamist protests

PanARMENIAN.Net - Pro-government candidates strengthened their hold on Jordan's parliament after an election on Wednesday, January 23 boycotted by the Muslim Brotherhood-led opposition, which said the ballot was biased against it, Reuters said.

State television said on Thursday that most of the 150 seats contested were won by independents, candidates with limited political agendas who rely on family and tribal allegiances rather than party backing.

The growth of tribalism as a political force in Jordan has blunted the emergence of national parties and curbed the influence of the Brotherhood - whose deputy leader said it would press on with street protests "to achieve the reforms we want."

A U.S.-backed monarchy, the country has seen major Arab Spring-inspired demonstrations against corruption that were critical of King Abdullah, though not on the scale of those that toppled rulers in Egypt and Tunisia and led to civil wars in Libya and Syria.

The protesters have focused on reforming government and limiting King Abdullah's powers rather than ousting him.

The Islamic Action Front, the Muslim Brotherhood's political wing in Jordan and the country's largest opposition party, shunned the election because it said the electoral law was designed to curb its influence.