Legal experts make up 20% of new Lower House — JBA

AMMAN — The number of legal experts or lawyers in the new Lower House has increased to 20 per cent of the 130-member legislature, according to the Jordan Bar Association (JBA). 

In the previous House, which had 150 members, there were 17 legal experts, representing 11 per cent, while in the new chamber elected on September 20 there are 26, JBA President Samir Kherfan told The Jordan Times on Wednesday. 

Issam Mubaidin, an analyst and expert in parliamentary affairs, said the increasing number of lawyers would boost the legislative performance of the 18th House as there would be more MPs with extensive knowledge of legislation. 

He noted that there are competent lawmakers, such as former JBA president Saleh Armouti (Amman, 3rd District) and former House speaker Abdul Karim Dughmi (Mafraq) in the new Parliament. 

“The most important task of MPs is to draft and debate laws of concern to the public and the country,” Mubaidin told The Jordan Times, adding that in previous parliaments, MPs were more concerned about monitoring government performance than drafting laws. 

More than once in previous parliaments, bills were sent back to the House because of legal gaps or flaws due to insufficient legislative knowledge, he added.

Mubaidin said the number of contractors in the new Lower House went down to eight from around 12 in the previous one. 

Although he was optimistic about the performance of the newly-elected chamber, Kherfan said MPs still need expertise and knowledge in other fields such as politics and the economy in addition to social issues. 

“It is good that there is this number of lawyers in the House because legal expertise is very important, even when MPs draft economic legislation,” he said.