Research carried out by
7 Key Takeaways: Cost of Politics
7 Key Takeaways: Cost of Politics
Population: 11.5 million
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jafar Hassan
Ruling party/coalition: Coalition of pro-government candidates
Last election: 2024
Next election: 2028
Number of registered voters: 5.1 million
Annual salary of member of legislature: US$59,250 (excluding benefits)
Year of study: 2025
Before the official start of election campaigns, candidates go through a preparatory phase that involves planning, building a support network, and logistical preparations. This phase is crucial for defining the campaign›s scope and ensuring its success later, but it also demands significant financial investments.
Billboards, television, and radio advertisements are among the most expensive campaign tools, consuming a large portion of election budgets.
Expenses peak on election day, as organising voter mobilisation efforts and monitoring election integrity require substantial financial resources.
Many MPs are expected to offer financial support or services to their communities, such as donations to charitable activities or funding local projects.
Although limited government funding is allocated to party-affiliated electoral lists, most candidates do not receive any direct financial support from the state. Instead, the majority rely on self-financing and external contributions to fund their campaigns.
Although Jordanian election laws require candidates to disclose their funding sources and expenditures, many electoral lists (60% of the total number of lists) failed to submit financial reports, while others recorded incomplete or vague expenses, highlighting weaknesses in financial oversight mechanisms.
The cost of running for office and election campaign expenses directly impact electoral integrity, fair competition among candidates, and representation of diverse groups in elected bodies.
Population: 11.5 million
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jafar Hassan
Ruling party/coalition: Coalition of pro-government candidates
Last election: 2024
Next election: 2028
Number of registered voters: 5.1 million
Annual salary of member of legislature: US$59,250 (excluding benefits)
Year of study: 2025
Key Findings
Click on the headings below to find out more information
Context
- Jordan's political landscape is heavily influenced by tribal and social factors, which play a crucial role in determining candidates chances of success. Political competition varies among candidates, with women and youth independent candidates facing even greater challenges than those affiliated with political parties or individuals with financial and tribal influence.
- Campaign financing regulations form a critical aspect of the legal framework. The law mandates candidates to disclose their sources of funding and electoral expenditures. However, enforcing these regulations remains a challenge, as oversight bodies struggle to track actual campaign spending, leaving room for unofficial financing that may compromise electoral integrity.
Drivers
- Tribalism plays a central role in determining candidates’ chances, often requiring significant spending on social events and direct services for voters.
- Political parties suffer from weak funding, pushing candidates to rely on self-financing or external support, which can compromise their independence.
- Disadvantaged groups face both financial and social barriers due to limited access to traditional funding networks available to traditional political powers and more established candidates.
- The difficult economic situation fuels the use of political money, which in some cases reach the electoral crime level when candidates resort to vote-buying or making financial promises to secure support.
- Many candidates depend on personal funds or private sector support, creating conflicts of interest and compromising political decision-making down the line.
- Although proportional list system might lead to a cost-saving approach when splitting the costs among lists candidates, but in the 2024 parliamentary election it has increased campaign costs, as some candidates beard the expense of group campaigns.
- While social media is relatively low-cost, effective digital campaigns still require substantial investment in paid advertisements—limiting access for underfunded candidates.
Sources of funds
- Limited public support for parties and candidates forces reliance on self-funding or private donations.
- Reliance on private sector funding creates a conflicts of interest, as elected officials may become beholden to their funders, undermining policy independence.
- Informal funding, which includes undeclared donations and vote-buying, threatening election integrity and eroding trust in democratic processes.
Recommendations
- Set strict caps on campaign spending and enforce penalties for violations and regulate political advertising and provide free media space for all candidates.
- Tie government financial support for parties to their inclusion of women and youth on candidate lists.
- Create dedicated funding mechanisms for women and youth and lower their registration fees.
