jordan pulse -

Public employees may run for municipal elections by taking a 90-day leave, and are deemed automatically resigned if they win.
Cancellation of direct elections for governorate councils, maintaining the sectoral "indirect" system.
Women’s representation quota set at no more than 30%, and municipal salary budgets capped at 40%.
Regulations cannot grant the executive director greater powers than the mayor.
Minimum age for candidacy set at 25, and a university degree is required only for first-category municipal mayors.
No encroachment by the Ministry or executive director upon the municipal council.
For the first time, the Cabinet's authority to dissolve municipalities is stripped, restricting the government to a one-year timeframe to conduct elections.
Rum –
For the first time, Cabinet authority to dissolve councils is stripped, restricting the government to a fixed timeline for elections.
Cancellation of direct elections for governorate councils, maintaining the sectoral "indirect" system.
Redrafting the role and appointment mechanism of the municipal manager.
No encroachment by the Ministry or executive director upon the municipal council.
Replacement of articles and terminology prone to misinterpretation.
Minimum candidacy age set at 25, and a university degree is required only for first-category municipal mayors.
Regulations cannot supersede the law; the mayor's standing has been preserved through statutory law.
Regulations cannot grant the executive director higher authorities.
Women’s representation quota capped at no more than 30%.
We hope municipalities reach a stage of thoroughly reviewing contracts prior to execution.
Municipal salary spending capped at no more than 40% of budgets.
Chairman of the Administrative Committee MP Khalifah Al-Diyat announced on Thursday that the committee has approved the draft Local Administration Law and submitted it to the Speaker of the House of Representatives to initiate floor debates and approval by the assembly this coming Sunday or Monday.
Al-Diyat explained during a press briefing that the committee preserved and enhanced the powers of the mayor and municipal council, resolving jurisdictional overlaps between them, the municipal manager, and the minister. The committee stipulated that the manager’s appointment will take place through the Public Service and Administration Commission, while granting the mayor direct supervisory, follow-up, and monitoring authority over all municipal operations and committees.
He also revealed that the committee stripped the Cabinet of its power to dissolve councils by removing that clause entirely, while restricting the government to a strict timeframe of no more than one year to hold new elections—a precedent in the history of Jordanian municipal legislation. Furthermore, vacancies within a council will be filled if members out later, eliminating the mechanism of full dissolution.
Regarding educational requirements, the university degree condition was restricted solely to mayors of first-category municipalities, excluding general council members and all second- and third-category municipalities. On age requirements, Al-Diyat stated that candidates must be at least 25 years old. The law also obligates municipalities to establish neighborhood committees comprising youth, women, and persons with disabilities, while maintaining a 30% seats quota for women. Additionally, public sector employees may apply for a 90-day leave prior to election day to run, but will be deemed automatically resigned from their jobs if elected.
He noted that the authorities of the mayor and council members remain intact and have been further expanded, reassuring that the manager will possess no powers that conflict with or override those of the mayor.
Addressing governorate councils (De centralization councils), Al-Diyat mentioned that His Majesty the King intended for them to drive development from central authorities to local communities. However, government evaluations over the past two iterations revealed several operational shortcomings that failed to achieve the intended economic development goals. Consequently, the government re-evaluated the framework through a new indirect election mechanism designed to leverage sector-specific representation within the council—a proposal approved by the majority of committee members.
The law also mandates that salary costs must not exceed 40% of total municipal budgets in order to approve table of organization charts and grant municipalities hiring and vacancy authorization powers.