AMMAN, Nov. 1 (Petra) – His Majesty King Abdullah II will inaugurate Monday the third ordinary session of the 20th Parliament, delivering the Speech from the Throne before both the Senate and the House of Representatives to mark the official opening.
Following the Royal address, the Senate will convene to select members of the committee charged with drafting its response to the Speech from the Throne.
Concurrently, the House of Representatives will hold its opening session, presided over by the most senior lawmaker, to elect the Permanent Bureau, comprising the Speaker, First and Second Deputies, and two Assistants.
Under Paragraph (A) of Article 3 of the House’s Internal Regulations, the most senior deputy chairs the initial meeting until the election of the Speaker. Seniority is determined by previous legislative terms served, followed by age, assisted by the two youngest present members.
Per Paragraph (A) of Article 14, winning the speakership requires an absolute majority of present members if more than two candidates compete. If only two candidates stand, a relative majority secures the seat, with a tie resolved by drawing lots.
Recent amendments to the House's Internal Regulations mandate female representation in the Permanent Bureau. Under Paragraph (B) of Article 7, if a woman does not secure the position of Speaker or either Deputy Speaker, nominations for one Assistant position are restricted exclusively to female MPs, governed by rules established by the Permanent Bureau.
Following the Bureau elections, the House will appoint a committee to draft its response to the Speech from the Throne, which must be approved and submitted to His Majesty within 14 days. The House is also scheduled to elect members across its 20 standing committees.
The 20th House of Representatives was elected under the 2022 Election Law, which introduced closed party lists for the first time in Jordanian electoral history, allocating 41 out of 138 seats to political parties.
A Royal Decree issued on September 30 postponed the ordinary session until November 2, 2026, followed by a subsequent decree summoning Parliament to convene accordingly.
Under the Constitution, the King summons Parliament for its ordinary session on October 1 each year, or the next business day if it falls on an official holiday. The King may defer the session by Royal Decree for up to two months. The ordinary session runs for six months, subject to a Royal extension of up to three months, unless the House is dissolved earlier.
//Petra// AA
