Abdulkarim Dughmi elected Lower House speaker

AMMAN — Deputies on Monday elected Deputy Abdulkarim Dughmi as the Lower House speaker.

Dughmi won 64 votes out of a possible 130, with his rival MP Nassar Al Qaisi garnering 58 votes, while eight votes were cancelled.

MP Ahmad Safadi was elected uncontested as the first deputy speaker of the Lower House, following the withdrawal of his only rival MP Hussein Harasees.

During the first session chaired by MP Nawaf Khawaldeh — the first session is usually chaired by the oldest deputy — Dughmi pledged to revitalise the important role of the Lower House through amending the chamber’s bylaws related to the authority of deputies. 

He also expressed keenness to bolster cooperation with the government in accordance with the Constitution, as well as to handle the output of the Royal Committee to Modernise the Political System, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh congratulated Dughmi and the deputies, noting that His Majesty King Abdullah’s Speech from the Throne, which included a roadmap that identified priorities, needs collective action to meet the aspirations of the Jordanian people and leadership.  

The premier expressed the government’s intention to form a committee to push forward the administrative reform process and to work on achievements through cooperation between the legislative and executive authorities to advance the country according to His Majesty’s vision. 

MP Abdulrahim Al Wakid, general secretary of the Lower House, read the Royal Decrees proroguing the extraordinary session of Parliament as of September 14, as well as the Decree postponing the start of Parliament's ordinary session to November 15 and summoning Parliament on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Lower House, in its session on Monday, resumed its establishment of its permanent office including its speaker and assistants, Petra reported.

The House authorised the office to draft a reply to His Majesty King Abdullah’s Speech from the Throne, to be approved by the House and presented to the King within 14 days.