Jordanian newspaper columnists on Sunday focused on a range of domestic and regional issues, including the future composition of parliament, the performance of the economy in the face of inflationary pressures, the upcoming Israeli elections, and the impact of the US war on Iran on Tehran’s network of allies and armed groups across the region.

Taken together, the columns reflect the breadth of political and economic concerns occupying Jordanian commentators, with each writer approaching the developments from a different angle. Some focused on domestic political reform and the electoral system, while others examined economic resilience and the broader regional repercussions of the conflicts involving Israel and Iran.

Maher Abu Tair: The Next Parliament Will Not Look Like the Current One

In his column, “Will Parliament Keep the Same Composition?”, Maher Abu Tair examines the future of Jordan’s House of Representatives amid speculation that the country could once again amend its electoral law.

Abu Tair points to differing assessments of the performance of MPs, but argues that the more important issue concerns the next parliamentary elections and whether the electoral law will be revised in a way that changes the composition of the next parliament.

He writes that some analysts believe “the state may amend Jordan’s electoral law again,” arguing that such changes, if introduced, would alter the parliamentary map, particularly in terms of party representation.

Abu Tair links the possibility of amendments to assessments of the current parliament’s experience, including the performance of individual MPs and political parties, the work of parliamentary blocs, relations with the government, and the level of opposition within the chamber.

He notes that there has been no official discussion of a new amendment so far, suggesting that the authorities may prefer not to raise the issue too early in order to avoid unsettling the political climate or creating the impression that Jordan is moving away from its political modernization agenda.

The columnist also examines the presence of political opposition inside parliament, particularly the representation won by the Umma Party. He notes that some viewed the party’s parliamentary share as unexpected for the state, but argues that the results of the previous election also demonstrate, in his view, that there was no manipulation or fraud in the electoral process.

Abu Tair reaches a clear conclusion about the next House of Representatives, writing that “the next parliament will differ from the shape of the current parliament.” He also points to what he describes as an irony: current MPs may themselves participate in debating the electoral law that will ultimately determine the composition of the next parliament.

Salameh Al-Darawi: Inflation Tests the Economy’s Ability to Absorb Shocks

On the economic front, Salameh Al-Darawi examines Jordan’s ability to maintain price stability despite regional and international pressures in his column, “Inflation: A New Test of the Economy’s Resilience.”

Al-Darawi cites figures from the Department of Statistics showing that inflation reached 2.13% during the first seven months of 2026, compared with 1.94% during the same period last year. Inflation rose to 2.70% in July, compared with 1.68% in July 2025.

For Al-Darawi, the significance of these figures lies not only in the inflation rate itself, but also in the economy’s ability to withstand external pressures, including higher transportation, shipping, insurance and energy costs, as well as disruptions to supply chains.

He argues that these pressures “did not turn into a broad inflationary wave,” attributing this in part to government measures aimed at securing supply chains and monitoring markets.

The columnist also notes that the private sector absorbed part of the higher costs at a time when several sectors operate with limited profit margins and consumers remain highly sensitive to price increases.

According to the column, inflationary pressures were not evenly distributed across all goods. Lower prices for fruit, nuts, meat, poultry and dairy products helped contain inflation, while the main pressures were concentrated in transportation, rents, oils and fats.

Al-Darawi warns that the test is not over, particularly as regional risks remain capable of quickly affecting energy, transportation and shipping costs. Maintaining price stability, he argues, will therefore require continued market management, secure supplies and monitoring of supply chains.

He concludes that keeping inflation at 2.13% during the first seven months of the year represents an important indicator of the Jordanian economy’s ability to absorb shocks, while price stability remains one of the economy’s key strengths.

Hamadeh Fraineh: Israeli Elections Intensify Competition Within the Right

At the regional level, Hamadeh Fraineh focuses in his column, “The Colony’s Election War,” on the escalation of Israeli activity in the occupied West Bank and links it to preparations for the upcoming Knesset elections.

Fraineh identifies three main reasons behind the escalation against Palestinians in the West Bank. The first, he argues, is the continuation of occupation, control and settlement expansion. The second is the fragmentation of the West Bank into Palestinian population centers surrounded by settlements. The third, which he describes as the most important, is the connection between these developments and the electoral competition inside Israel.

He writes that right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties are competing for the votes of settlers, whose number he puts at more than 700,000. He argues that the coming election will take place amid competition between different political camps as Israeli society continues to shift toward the right.

Fraineh views the decline of traditional left-wing and centrist parties as an important factor in the changing Israeli political landscape. He cites the decline of the Labor Party and the exit of Meretz from the Knesset, followed by their merger into a new political framework known as the Democrats.

The columnist places the upcoming election within a broader political struggle over the future direction of Israeli policy toward the Palestinian territories.

He refers to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s so-called “Decisive Plan,” which he says seeks to consolidate Israeli control over all of Palestine while gradually reducing the Palestinian presence.

Fraineh argues that this policy extends beyond Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem to Palestinians inside Israel, warning that legal and political mechanisms could be used to influence political and electoral participation.

Samih Al-Maaytah: Iran Faces a New Phase With Its Allies

Samih Al-Maaytah examines the changes affecting Iran’s network of regional allies and armed groups in his column, “Iran’s Allies and Militias Today,” amid the ongoing US war against Iran.

Al-Maaytah begins by arguing that the war has not yet ended and that it remains too early to assess its final political, military and economic consequences. However, he believes Iran’s position toward its allies and affiliated armed groups has changed significantly.

He writes that Iran, which for decades provided support to allies in order to build influence across the region, now finds itself in a position where it needs those allies to stand by it, particularly in Lebanon and Iraq.

He argues that Iran’s loss of influence in Syria, alongside developments in Lebanon, represents a significant decline in its regional reach. According to his assessment, the Lebanese state has become more assertive in confronting Iranian influence and Hezbollah’s weapons.

In Iraq, Al-Maaytah links the debate over the disarmament of militias to a decline in Iranian influence. He argues that the mere decision by the Iraqi government to open the issue is itself an indication that the balance of power is changing, even if the disarmament process could take considerable time.

As for Yemen’s Houthis, Al-Maaytah notes that their response during the US war against Iran has been limited. He argues that their priorities are increasingly tied to Yemen’s internal political equation rather than being directly linked to Iran’s regional strategy.

He also discusses Hamas, arguing that the group recognized after the developments in Gaza that it needed to seek a political way out. He views Hamas’s acceptance of the Trump plan and its willingness to surrender weapons and political authority as evidence, in his assessment, of declining reliance on the so-called resistance axis.

Al-Maaytah concludes by warning that continued US pressure on Iran could further weaken its regional network of allies. “Iran today stands at a crossroads with its militias and allies,” he writes, suggesting that some of these groups could begin looking for alternative options if Iran’s political, economic and military position continues to deteriorate.

Four Columns, One Region Under Pressure

The four columns highlight the range of issues occupying Jordanian opinion writers, from domestic political reform to economic resilience and rapidly shifting regional alliances.

At home, Maher Abu Tair raises the possibility of another amendment to the electoral law and a resulting change in the composition of parliament. Salameh Al-Darawi, meanwhile, views inflation figures as a test of the Jordanian economy’s ability to absorb external shocks.

Regionally, Hamadeh Fraineh places the upcoming Israeli elections at the center of developments in the West Bank, while Samih Al-Maaytah examines the war with Iran through the future of Tehran’s network of regional allies and armed groups.

The columns also show how closely domestic and regional concerns intersect. Jordan’s political modernization remains tied to the future of parliamentary representation, while economic stability is exposed to regional disruptions affecting energy, transport and trade. At the same time, the Israeli electoral contest could influence the trajectory of the Palestinian conflict, while Iran faces a major test of its ability to preserve its regional influence.

Together, the columns offer a broad snapshot of a political and economic landscape in rapid transition, stretching from Jordan’s parliament to the wider regional struggle over power, security and influence.