King to inaugurate Parliament third ordinary session today

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah is scheduled on Sunday to open Parliament’s third ordinary session and deliver the Speech from the Throne.

The Senate will later hold for a meeting chaired by President Faisal Fayez to read three Royal Decrees, the first proroguing the Parliament’s extraordinary session as of September 30, a second adjourning its ordinary session until October 14, and a third summoning it to meet in an ordinary session as of Sunday, October 14.

The Upper House will then elect members of the committee tasked to prepare a reply to the Speech from the Throne, and will elect the two deputies of the president and the president’s assistants.

After the Senate meeting, the Lower House will hold its first meeting to read the three Decrees.

The Lower House will then elect the panel that will draft the reply to the Royal speech, two deputy speakers and the speaker’s assistants, especially since the House’s by-law does not allow any debates of bills before the speaker is elected. 

The MP with the longest House membership will preside over the first meeting, until electing the speaker.

The Lower House will also elect the members of its 20 permanent committees.