The Senate is set to begin the third ordinary session of the 20th Parliament on Monday, chaired by Faisal Al-Fayez, following the issuance of a Royal Decree reappointing him as Senate president effective October 25, 2026. Abdullah Ensour will serve as First Deputy President, while Hani Al-Mulki will serve as Second Deputy President.
اضافة اعلان
Two Royal Decrees were issued on October 8. The first appointed Faisal Akef Al-Fayez as Senate president effective October 25, while the second appointed Yaseen Muheib “Mohammad Ali” Al-Khayyat as a member of the Senate effective October 8.
Al-Fayez’s reappointment comes ahead of His Majesty King Abdullah II’s opening of the third ordinary session of the National Assembly with the Royal Speech from the Throne, addressed to a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The opening had been postponed until November 2, 2026.
Senate Leadership
The Senate’s Permanent Bureau underwent changes during the first extraordinary session in July 2026, following the resignation of Senator Samir Rifai from the Senate, where he had served as First Deputy President.
At a session held on July 14, 2026, chaired by Faisal Al-Fayez, the Senate elected former Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour as First Deputy President, replacing Rifai. It also elected former Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki as Second Deputy President, replacing Ensour.
The elections were held to fill the vacant positions on the Permanent Bureau in accordance with the Senate's internal regulations.
The Senate's Permanent Bureau was originally formed in November 2024 for a two-year term, chaired by Faisal Al-Fayez, with Samir Rifai as First Deputy President, Abdullah Ensour as Second Deputy President, and Suhair Al-Ali and Zuhair Abu Faris as assistants to the president.
Paragraph (e) of Article 6 of the Senate's internal regulations stipulates that if the Senate convenes in an extraordinary session while a position on the Permanent Bureau is vacant, the Senate shall elect a member to fill that position.
The elected member shall serve for the remainder of the Bureau's term.
Appointment of the President and Election of Deputies
The selection of the Senate's leadership differs from that of the House of Representatives in terms of how the president is chosen and the length of the term.
The King appoints the president of the Senate, while members of the House of Representatives elect their speaker at the beginning of each ordinary session.
Article 36 of the Jordanian Constitution stipulates that the King appoints members of the Senate, selects its president from among them, and accepts their resignations.
Under Article 65 of the Constitution, membership in the Senate lasts four years, with members' appointments renewed every four years. Senators whose terms have ended may be reappointed.
The Senate president serves a two-year term and may be reappointed. In contrast, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is elected for one calendar year at the beginning of each ordinary session and may be re-elected, in accordance with Article 69 of the Constitution.
Article 63 of the Constitution stipulates that the Senate, including its president, shall consist of no more than half the number of members of the House of Representatives. With the House comprising 138 members, the Senate may have a maximum of 69 members.
The Senate and House of Representatives During the Third Session
Article 62 of the Constitution stipulates that the National Assembly consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Article 66 provides that the Senate convenes whenever the House of Representatives meets, and that both chambers have the same parliamentary sessions.
Following the opening of the third ordinary session with the Royal Speech from the Throne, the Senate and House of Representatives will each hold their first sessions to complete the organisational procedures for the new parliamentary session.
Both chambers will submit separate replies to the Royal Speech from the Throne, in accordance with Article 79 of the Jordanian Constitution.
During the second ordinary session, which opened on October 26, 2025, the Senate elected a five-member committee to prepare its response to the Royal Speech before approving it and submitting it to His Majesty the King.
During the third session, the Senate will resume its legislative duties, including reviewing draft laws referred to it by the House of Representatives and approving or amending them in accordance with the Constitution.
