Rongway has a point though...and granted I don't know how the coding actually works, but if you are looking for a member, someone has been found and is awaiting an accept/withdraw decision, and then your friend queues up...if there's an open party that's ready to go and just needing that specific role I'd expect it to go to the new open party.

I'd agree I wish there was an easier way to help out friends that are in need, I've had good success in the past, but sometimes landed in parties that weren't theirs too. But I'd be surprised if it's a prioritization.

How do you know it used to and doesn't anymore? Was there something mentioned in patch notes? If it's observation, I'd bet it has more to do with what Rongway described than a prioritization concern.