‘Female parliamentary candidate on Maan list dies’

AMMAN — Parliamentary candidate Lina Ouran, who was standing for election in Maan, passed away on Sunday, a hospital official said.  

A manager at Maan Public Hospital said the candidate died at dawn on Sunday after suffering a heart attack, the Arabic daily Al Rai reported. 

Ouran had been scheduled to appear in an interview on Jordan Television on Sunday, along with her fellow candidates on the “Labour” list. 

Khaled Fanatseh, who is running on the same list, said Ouran had been unable to attend a meeting for the candidates lists in Aqaba on Saturday, but had apologised and promised to attend the interview on Sunday.  

“She was a virtuous woman, socially active. She worked for women’s issues. She loved and communicated with everyone,” Fanatseh told The Jordan Times.

Ouran had been a municipal councillor in Maan for two terms, elected in 2007 and 2013, and quit one month ago to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to Maan Mayor Majed Sharari.

“Lina was from Tafileh. She married a schoolteacher from Maan and her mother is also from Maan. She was a hard working, ambitious person and had huge dreams,” the mayor told The Jordan Times.  

Ouran had a diploma in agriculture and a degree in agricultural engineering, he said, adding that she worked as the manager of a fertiliser manufacturer in Maan, 220km south of Amman.  

On Saturday, Independent Election Commission (IEC) Spokesperson Jihad Momani said six voters had submitted objections to a female candidate running in Maan.  

Fanatseh clarified that the contested candidate was not Ouran. 

“Lina didn’t have problems with anyone,” he said.

The IEC has removed Ouran’s name and photo from its website.