Government Aging Index – Jordan 2026: A New Methodological Reading by Performance Index Center | KAFA’A

Performance Index Center | KAFA’A launched its latest research product, the “Government Aging Index – Jordan 2026.” The index provides a methodological reading of generational representation within Jordan’s executive branch, drawing on official sources and updated national demographic data, to translate the discourse on youth empowerment and elite renewal from public rhetoric into a measurable, annually trackable indicator.

The findings reveal a notable generational gap of 22 years on average between the Cabinet and the society it governs, raising legitimate questions about how this gap is reflected in the design of public policies and their priorities, particularly in relation to Jordan’s largest demographic bloc.

Key Findings:

• Age Gap: The average age of current Cabinet members is 58 years, while the average age of the population aged 15+ is 36 years, according to the latest national population report (January 2025). Furthermore, 49.1% of the population aged 15+ falls within the 15–44 age group, the country’s productive and social backbone, yet this group is directly represented in the Council of Ministers.
• Generational Concentration: Executive authority is concentrated within only two generations: Generation X (born 1965–1980) holds 68% of cabinet portfolios, followed by Baby Boomers (1946–1964) at 32%, with a complete absence of Millennials (Gen Y) and Generation Z from executive decision-making, despite their constituting the largest share of the workforce and civic participation.
• Political Alienation Indicator: Jordan’s youngest generation is approximately two and a half generations removed from the government (a value of 2.4, within the “alienation” range), while Millennials register a value of 1.4 (denoting “divergence”), and Generation X aligns more closely with the Cabinet at 0.3 (“alignment”).
• Historical Trend: The average age of the Cabinet rose from 55 years under the Razzaz government, to 57 years under the Khasawneh government, to 58 years in the current government a structural pattern in recruitment and selection mechanisms that warrants institutional review within ongoing political modernization tracks.
• International Context: Jordan’s 22-year gap places it in the global middle range. The gap in the United States stands at approximately 20 years between Congress and the population; in Africa, the gap exceeds 40 years and is the largest in the world; while MPs under 30 represent only 2% of Middle Eastern parliaments, according to the 2025 Inter-Parliamentary Union report.
• Policy Proposals: The Center calls for adopting the index as an annual monitoring tool for generational representation, providing a reference reading for decision-makers during cabinet formations, supporting political modernization with verifiable measurement evidence, and developing legislative mechanisms that ensure generational inclusion without compromising individual merit.

The Center warned that allowing the generational gap to persist without methodical intervention could lead to “sustained institutional aging,” weakening the state’s capacity to respond to the priorities of younger generations and compounding a growing trust gap between institutions and society.

To access the full index, please download it from below. 👇