Tomorrow, a loose coalition of Jordan’s Islamist and tribal opposition factions will hold a demonstration in downtown Amman to demand faster and deeper political and economic reform. The movement’s leaders predict that 50,000 protestors will take part. Their “Inkath al-Watan (“Save the Homeland”) march will be countered by an “initiative of gratitude” to the king, a pro-monarchy rally titled “Ihna Maak” (“We Are with You”). It is unclear whether the Friday demonstrations — which promise to be the largest outpouring in the kingdom since the start of the region-wide Arab uprisings — will lead to violence. The opposition turnout and the palace’s handling of the protestors may provide some indication of Jordan’s trajectory.

Although the kingdom has proven relatively stable over the past two years, it has not been completely immune to the regional turbulence. Since the start of the revolt in Tunisia, Jordan’s traditional Islamist opposition — led by the Muslim Brotherhood — has been protesting against corruption and economic privation. It has also called for changes in the electoral law that would lead to greater representation in parliament and, eventually, transform Jordan into a constitutional monarchy. More recently, however, the Islamists have been joined by disaffected tribal elements known as al-Hirak (“The Movement”), a disparate group of younger East Bankers largely focused on high-level corruption, but also supportive of political change.

Read in full at the Washington Institute.