AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah is scheduled to open the 20th Parliament's second ordinary session on Sunday, where he will deliver the Speech from the Throne.

 

Following the speech, the Senate will convene to elect members of the committee tasked with drafting the reply to the Speech from the Throne, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

 

The Lower House will then hold its first session, chaired by the longest-serving MP, to elect its permanent office, consisting of the Speaker, the first and second deputies, and two assistants.

 

According to the Lower Chamber’s bylaws, the first session is chaired by the MP with the longest parliamentary service; in the event of a tie, the one with the greater number of terms served presides, and if still tied, the eldest MP assumes the role. The two youngest members present assist in managing the session until the Speaker is elected.

 

Recent amendments to the bylaw require that at least one member of the permanent office be a female MP. If no woman is elected as Speaker or as either the first or second deputy, candidacy for one of the assistant positions shall be limited to female MPs, according to regulations set by the permanent office for this purpose.

 

Once the Speaker and permanent office are elected, the House will form a committee to draft the reply to the Speech from the Throne, which must be approved by the House and submitted to His Majesty within 14 days of the speech. The House is also expected to elect the members of 20 parliamentary committees thereafter.

 

The current Lower House was elected under the 2022 Election Law, which, for the first time in the Kingdom’s parliamentary history, allowed full participation of party lists, allocating 41 of the 138 seats to political parties.

 

A Royal Decree issued on 28 September postponed the opening of the ordinary session to 26 October. Another Royal Decree was later issued summoning Parliament to convene on that date.

 

Under the Constitution, His Majesty calls the Parliament to convene in an ordinary session on the first day of October each year. If that day falls on an official holiday, the session begins on the following working day. The King may, by Royal Decree published in the Official Gazette, postpone the opening for up to two months.

 

Each ordinary session lasts six months unless the House is dissolved earlier. His Majesty may also extend the session for up to three additional months to complete pending business, after which the session is prorogued by Royal Decree.