House to debate political parties law as extraordinary session begins Wednesday

AMMAN — The Lower House is scheduled to hold its first meeting in the extraordinary session on Wednesday with the draft law on political parties expected to be the first on the legislature’s agenda.

On May 19, a Royal Decree was issued summoning Parliament to convene in an extraordinary session as of June 1 to endorse several bills.

Under the Constitution, lawmakers can only debate bills that are listed in the Royal Decree during extraordinary sessions.

Conventionally, the first session begins with the House speaker reading the Royal Decree and the validating reasons for each bill included.

The bills for the extraordinary session include the 2015 decentralisation and municipalities bills, the 2014 and the 2015 amendments to the Independent Elections Commission Law.

Under the decree, lawmakers are expected to endorse the 2015 amendments to the Lower House’s by-laws and a code of conduct designed as checks and balances concerning MPs’ performance.

Also included in the session are the 2002 temporary law of the national committee for international and humanitarian law, and the 2008 Jordan Standards and Metrology Organisation Law.

On May 29, a joint Lower House committee endorsed the draft political parties law after holding several brainstorming meetings with the concerned agencies.

Mustafa Amawi, head of the panel which comprises members of the legal and public freedoms committees, said at the time that all notes and written proposals from political parties, women’s societies, experts, activists and youth organisations were taken into consideration when reviewing the law. He noted that strong emphasis has been placed on empowering women in partisan life.

Under the joint committee’s amendments to the 2015 law, political parties can enjoy additional finance provided they win parliamentary or municipal seats, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted Amawi as saying.

The 2015 amendments to the law on judicial execution, the Jordan Dental Association Law, and the new transparency and corruption-combating law for 2015 are also included on the agenda, Petra said.