Amman:His Majesty King Abdullah II is set to inaugurate the third ordinary session of the 20th Parliament on Monday. The King will deliver the Speech from the Throne before both the Senate and the House of Representatives to officially open the session.
According to Jordan News Agency, following the Royal address, the Senate will convene to select members for the committee responsible for drafting its response to the Speech from the Throne. Concurrently, the House of Representatives will hold its opening session, led by the most senior lawmaker, to elect the Permanent Bureau, which includes the Speaker, First and Second Deputies, and two Assistants.
Under the House's Internal Regulations, the most senior deputy chairs the initial meeting until a Speaker is elected, with seniority determined by previous legislative terms and age. The selection of the Speaker requires an absolute majority if more than two candidates are running, while a relative majority suffices if only two candidates are involved. Recent amendments ensure female representation in the Permanent Bureau by mandating that if no woman is elected as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, nominations for one Assistant position are exclusive to female MPs.
After the Bureau elections, the House will form a committee to draft its response to the Speech from the Throne, which must be approved and submitted to the King within 14 days. Additionally, the House plans to elect members to its 20 standing committees.
The 20th House of Representatives, elected under the 2022 Election Law, introduced closed party lists, allocating 41 out of 138 seats to political parties. A Royal Decree had postponed the ordinary session until November 2, 2026. The Constitution allows the King to summon Parliament for its ordinary session on October 1 each year or defer it by up to two months. The session runs for six months, with possible extensions or early dissolution by Royal Decree.