Amman: The Independent Election Commission (IEC) concluded on Saturday the Political Institute for Party Youth program, which brought together a group of young political party members and public action activists. The initiative was conducted under the Support to Democratic Reforms in Jordan project, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), the IEC said in a statement.
According to Jordan News Agency, now in its second consecutive year, the program ran for 12 training days spread over six months. It featured specialized workshops and training sessions designed to enhance participants' knowledge and skills in political communication, economics and democracy, and election campaign management, aiming to boost youth participation in political and party life.
In the political communication module, the curriculum covered core communication concepts and effective strategies, political message analysis, modern communication theories, political debates, social media utilization, negotiation techniques, network building, and crisis management.
Specialized sessions on economics and fiscal policy addressed fiscal strategy, government spending, public debt, economic growth, taxation, privatization, and public-private partnership (PPP) frameworks. Participants were also introduced to major economic terms, competing schools of thought, concepts of competitive advantage, the informal economy, recession, depression, and inflation.
Under the democracy and law track, discussions focused on democratic theory, the role of law in supporting democracy, legal and legislative drafting stages, constitutional judicial review, and the status of international treaties and conventions within national legal frameworks, alongside the role of civil society organizations in promoting the rule of law.
The program further explored the reciprocal relationship between democracy, law, and public freedoms, democratic transitions and consolidation, representative versus direct democracies, delegation dynamics, and trends in political culture.
Interactive activities and practical exercises allowed participants to share personal experiences regarding internal and external party communication, exchange insights on common challenges, and foster cross-party networking.
This year's second edition included 56 young men and women from both political parties and independent public action spaces, reflecting the IEC's commitment to building youth capacity for effective democratic participation.
At the closing ceremony, Ahmed Abu Zaid, Registrar of Political Parties at the IEC, presented certificates to the graduates, emphasizing the importance of continued investment in youth capabilities to strengthen their participation in the country's political landscape.