(New York Times) Matthew Mpoke Bigg - The Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, won 31 of 138 seats in Jordan's Parliament, according to election results released Wednesday. Two parties allied with the government secured around 70 seats combined. Independent deputies and those representing smaller parties, as well as deputies selected under a quota system, are also likely to back government policies. So while Islamists may now have a greater voice in Jordan, the kingdom will probably not be shaken, analysts said. Neil Quilliam, an expert in Jordanian and regional politics at Chatham House think tank in London, said, "The system is flexible enough to allow the elections and to allow the Islamists to have a voice." Parliament has no direct role in shaping foreign policy, which is overseen by the monarch.
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