Seasoned MPs say House has right to question premiers

AMMAN — Prime ministers have no immunity against questioning and queries by members of the Lower House, veteran MPs and legal experts said Sunday, noting that interpretations of the Constitution claiming otherwise are "baseless". 

The argument over whether prime ministers are subject to lawmakers' inquiries came following Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour's defence last Tuesday in which he said that premiers are not listed in the Constitution as ministers and thus cannot be questioned.

Ensour's rationale found support by a group of MPs who cast unconstitutionality concerns over their colleague Rula Hroub's (Stronger Jordan list) inquiry into the new rise in the fixed charge of water bills.

Unconvinced by the water minister's response, Hroub decided to transform her query into a move of no confidence against Ensour, but she then dropped it under pressure from other MPs pending an interpretation from the Constitutional Court on whether premiers can be questioned.

Citing Article 51 of the Constitution, MP Mahmoud Kharabsheh (Balqa, 1st District) said at Sunday's oversight session: "There is no need to ask the Constitutional Court. Lawmakers have every right to question prime ministers."

The said article reads: "The Prime Minister and ministers shall be collectively responsible before the Chamber of Deputies in respect of the public policy of the State. In addition, each minister shall be responsible before the Chamber of Deputies in respect of the affairs of his ministry."

In response to Ensour's and her colleagues' claims, Hroub said on last Tuesday that former prime ministers Marouf Bakhit and Samir Rifai "the grandfather" were questioned by the Lower House.

During the oversight session, Deputy Abdul Karim Dughmi (Mafraq, 1st District) explained that prime ministers have no Constitutional immunity against the Chamber's queries and questioning, describing interpretations of the Constitution claiming otherwise as "fraudulent".

Dughmi, an MP since 1989, added that "it happened many times before that prime ministers were questioned here [in the House]. The prime minister [Ensour] knows by heart that premiers are also subject to lawmakers' queries."

A legal adviser to the Lower House who preferred to remain unnamed agreed with Kharabsheh, Dughmi and Hroub that prime ministers are not immune to lawmakers' queries. 

"The House has the right to issue no-confidence motions against premiers, let alone question them," he said.

"The whole fuss over this matter was unwarranted. It is indisputable that prime ministers are subject to lawmakers' inquiries," the legal adviser told The Jordan Times.