Who runs local government in Jordan?
Jordan has 12 governorates run by governors appointed through the Ministry of Interior, about 100 municipalities with elected councils and mayors, and the Greater Amman Municipality, which is partly appointed. The 2021 Local Administration Law added partly elected governorate councils. In July 2025 the government dissolved all elected municipal and governorate councils, appointed interim committees and began writing a new local administration law, so in 2026 no elected local councils were sitting.
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan · Unitary constitutional monarchy · Western Asia
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Governorates (12) | Governor appointed by the government (Ministry of Interior); governorate council at least 60% directly elected, with mayors and appointed members making up the rest | Governor runs security and state services; the council reviews development plans and budgets. |
| Districts (liwa) and sub-districts (qada) | District governors appointed | Deconcentrated administration under the Interior Ministry. |
| Municipalities (about 100) and Greater Amman Municipality | Mayors and councils directly elected for four years (in normal times); Amman's mayor and a third of its council are appointed | Local roads, planning, licences, waste and markets, under the Ministry of Local Administration. |
Three questions about local power in Jordan
Are local leaders elected?
Normally mayors, municipal councillors and most governorate councillors are elected. Governors, district governors, Amman's mayor, mukhtars and interim committees are appointed. Tribal sheikhs are not elected.
Which laws set up local government?
Municipal and local councils are required by the Constitution (Article 121) and set out in the 2021 Local Administration Law. Mukhtars are appointed under regulations. Tribal mediation is customary, although widely accepted by officials.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters choose councils; the Cabinet can dissolve councils (as in 2025) and appoint committees; the Ministry of Local Administration supervises municipal budgets; governors answer to the Interior Ministry.
Traditional and customary authority
Tribes remain central to social and political life, especially outside Amman. Tribal leaders (sheikhs) and elders mediate conflicts through customary law: after a killing or serious injury, a formal truce ('atwa) and settlement are negotiated, often with the involvement of the governor and police. Formal tribal law was abolished in 1976, but the state still recognises these mediation practices in practice. Mukhtars (appointed local headmen for villages, clans or neighbourhoods) certify identity, residence and family matters for official paperwork. Islamic (sharia) courts and church courts handle family law.
Community and neighbourhood power
Charities, women's and youth associations and clan diwans (family meeting halls) organise local welfare and discussion. Refugee camps for Palestinians are run with UNRWA, and camps for Syrians with UNHCR and the government, outside normal municipal structures.
Points to know
- At least 25% of elected governorate council seats are reserved for women; UN Women counted 333 elected women after the 2022 local elections.
- The Aqaba Special Economic Zone and the Petra Development and Tourism Region are run by special authorities instead of ordinary municipalities.
- A cabinet decision in January 2026 postponed new local elections by a further six months while a new Local Administration Bill was prepared.
Local terms
- Mukhtar
- A local headman appointed by the authorities who certifies residence and identity for residents of a village, clan or neighbourhood.
- 'Atwa
- A tribal truce agreed after a serious crime, to prevent revenge while a settlement is negotiated.
Sources
- Jordan: country profile, OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
- Jordan's Constitution of 1952 (rev. 2016), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Jordan: local government profile, UN Women (Women in Local Government country profiles), checked 14 October 2026
- Independent Election Commission (official site), Independent Election Commission, Jordan, checked 14 October 2026
See also: Jordan's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.