Jordan: elections today, Islamists fear to be harassed

Eligible Jordanian voters will head today for the ballot boxes to choose their representatives in the 14th parliament following an absence of the Parliamentary life in Jordan for 6 years.

This is among government's assertions that the elections will be "free and transparent," with skepticism by the opposition, led by Islamists that the election will be transparent.

On the fall of the first elections, under the rule of King Abdullah II, the Jordanian prime minister Ali Abul Ragheb urged citizens in an appeal to cast their votes and make assurances to the voters that the government "had taken a serious act to make the elections transparent in a way that ensures the freedom of the movement."

However, the Islamic work front Party, the major political party in Jordan, issued a decision in which it accused certain government circles of trying to prevent citizens from voting for the front.

Some 765 candidates are competing for the 110 seats, including 54 women.