Amman, Aug. 26 (Petra) – A dialogue in Amman on Wednesday highlighted
the need to expand opportunities for youth to participate
meaningfully in political parties, strengthen party branches in the
governorates and involve young people in developing programs and
solutions that address local needs.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Political and Parliamentary
Affairs during the dialogue, Secretary-General Ali Khawaldeh noted
that legislation governing political parties has created new
opportunities for youth as part of the political modernization
process under Royal patronage.

He stressed that political parties should develop programs that
respond to the needs and challenges of individual governorates, while
their local branches should play a proactive role in helping
communities identify priorities and develop practical solutions.

The dialogue, titled “Organizing Youth Wings and Activating Their
Role in Party Branches in the Governorates,” was held under a program
supporting democratic reforms in Jordan, organized by the Karak
Castle Center for Consultations and Training in cooperation with
Expertise France, the French agency for international development and
cooperation. It brought together representatives of the Ministry of
Political and Parliamentary Affairs, the Independent Election
Commission, the Senate, and young men and women.

The first session featured a policy paper under the same title,
examining the role of party branches in the governorates and the
importance of strengthening parties’ programmatic influence on
decision-making.

The paper focused on leveraging young people’s capabilities to
identify local needs, enabling party branches to contribute to
addressing governorate-level issues and strengthening the branches’
organizational and programmatic roles.

Khaled Khawaja, a representative of Expertise France, underscored the
importance of empowering youth within political parties and involving
them in political work and program development to strengthen their
presence in public life and expand their ability to influence
decision-making.

He stressed that youth participation should be driven by service to
the nation and public interest rather than the interests of specific
groups. He also called for stronger youth engagement at the
governorate level to help translate party programs into practical
initiatives addressing local priorities.

Israa Mahadin, founder and executive director of the Karak Castle
Center, highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for
women and youth in the governorates to participate in public and
political life.

She noted that meaningful political participation goes beyond simply
increasing the presence of youth and women in public life to giving
them a role in shaping policies and influencing decisions. She added
that governorates have considerable talent and potential that require
genuine opportunities to translate into participation and influence.

The second session brought together Ali Khawaldeh, Secretary of the
Political Parties Registry at the Independent Election Commission,
Ahmed Abu Zeid, and Senate National Youth Dialogue Initiative
Committee Chairwoman Mahasen Jaghoub to examine ways of strengthening
party branches and youth participation.

The discussion emphasized moving youth participation beyond numerical
representation toward meaningful involvement in decision-making,
program development, and candidate selection. Participants noted that
such engagement could strengthen young people’s confidence in
political parties and encourage greater participation in elections
based on party platforms.

They also stressed that youth participation is essential to the
continuity and renewal of political parties and that effective party
work should remain focused on serving the nation and public interest
while translating political programs into practical action.

//Petra// AJ