INTERVIEW

NAUSIM: Turning Political Theory into Practice for Jordan's Youth

Jordan TV's morning programme recently featured a segment on Nausim, a parliamentary simulation project now in its sixth consecutive year, organized in partnership between the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) - Jordan and Partners Jo. The segment brought together Ali Fayyad, Director General of Partners Jo, and Aya Majali, Project Manager at FNF, to discuss the project's goals, design, and impact on Jordanian youth.

Closing the Gap Between Knowledge and Practice

Asked about the idea behind Nausim, Aya Majali explained that the project responds to a clear gap: many young Jordanians are politically aware and hold strong theoretical knowledge, but have few opportunities to put that knowledge into practice. "We have ambitious young people who have political knowledge and political experience, but all in theory," she said. "So there was a gap between theoretical knowledge and practical experience."

Nausim was designed to close that gap by giving participants a space to live the parliamentary process on the ground: running for office, voting, forming committees, joining parliamentary blocs, and taking on leadership roles within a simulated council, covering the full range of parliamentary work.

A Long-Standing Partnership

Ali Fayyad described the collaboration between FNF and Partners Jo as an extension of a longstanding relationship between the two organizations, brought together this year around a shared program. "This year, we worked with them because we felt that we could work in a holistic way, between the experience that FNF has and what Partners Jo has from its own experience, as well as its direct contact with Jordanian youth," he said.

He linked the project to Partners Jo's broader work on political modernization in Jordan, noting that while the Kingdom has advanced legislation such as the parties' law and the elections law, legislation alone is not enough. "It is necessary to provide real empowerment for the youth," he said, describing Nausim as an initiative that goes beyond theory to focus on what participants actually do and learn.

Five Days Inside the Dome

Over five days, participants move from theoretical grounding, covering parliamentary structure, internal bylaws, and legislative mechanisms, into full simulation: forming parliamentary bodies, electing a permanent bureau, forming committees, debating draft laws, and holding a general plenary session where votes are cast. Aya Majali noted that the program also included evening sessions where sitting members of parliament met participants directly, adding a real-world dimension to the simulation. "It was a great experience on all levels," she said.

Both guests pointed to strong engagement from participants, including on issues where views diverged sharply during debate, and highlighted the participation of young women alongside young men across all stages of the simulation, from nomination and debate to voting.

Building Confidence and Long-Term Impact

Asked about the impact on participants' confidence and personal development, Aya Majali said the experience helped participants understand that effective parliamentary work depends on substantive skill rather than rhetoric alone. "They knew that parliamentary influence is not about the best speech or the loudest voice," she said, "but about the basic skills required to be a real parliamentarian."

Ali Fayyad added that the true measure of the project lies beyond the five days themselves, in the role participants go on to play in public and political life. "They have the theory, the tools, and the space," he said, "so they are qualified to play a real role in public work, in legislative work, and in political work."

A Message to Jordan's Youth

Closing the interview, Ali Fayyad urged young Jordanians to see themselves as active participants in shaping the country's future rather than observers. "If you do not integrate into public work, someone else will come and take your place," he said, calling on youth to invest in the real opportunities available to them today.

Nausim will continue to run in the years ahead, building on six editions of experience in bringing young Jordanians closer to the practical realities of parliamentary and political life.

Watch the full interview above.