Jordan’s Islamic Action Front rejects call to drop ‘Islamic’ from name

Jordan’s Islamic Action Front Party has refused a request by the Independent Election Commission to change its name.

In a statement, the party said the commission’s demand lacked a clear legal basis. It stressed that it would continue its national role and remain committed to the constitution and the law.

The party said its name had been officially approved since its establishment in 1992. It added that the name and its statutes were reapproved in 2023 after it regularised its status in accordance with the law in force, with no legal violations recorded against it.

The statement said Article 5 of the Political Parties Law relates to the conditions for establishing parties and does not apply to parties that were formed decades ago or that were licensed after the law came into force, held their general conferences in accordance with their bylaws, and continued to operate and take part in parliamentary elections.

It added that the purpose of the article is to prevent the establishment of parties on a closed sectarian or religious basis. The party said its membership is open to all Jordanians and includes people from different backgrounds, including Christians, reflecting what it described as a broad national identity.

READ: Jordan orders Islamic Action Front Party to remove religious references from name