Amman – Prior parliamentary understandings failed to withstand the choices made at the ballot box, as disagreements surrounding the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and his first deputy extended to the completion of the permanent bureau elections.
The session witnessed debate over the selection of the second deputy speaker, attempts to reach a consensus on a single candidate through an uncontested election, and procedural discussions concerning ballot papers and the calculation of the required majority.
During a session chaired by Speaker Ibrahim Al-Tarawneh on Tuesday, the House resumed elections for the permanent bureau by selecting the second deputy speaker and the speaker’s assistants.
MPs Wasfi Haddad, Mohammad Salameh Al-Ghwairi and Raed Rabaa competed for the position amid previous understandings among parliamentary blocs regarding the distribution of bureau positions.
The session saw debate over whether the position could be settled through consensus and an uncontested vote. Al-Tarawneh proposed giving MPs additional time for consultations and reaching an agreement instead of proceeding directly to a ballot.
The proposal followed MP Salem Al-Omari’s suggestion that Wasfi Haddad be elected unopposed as a gesture of respect for the martyrs of Hamoud Church in Karak Governorate.
However, Mohammad Salameh Al-Ghwairi refused to withdraw from the race in Haddad’s favor, stressing that Jordanians must not be treated differently on any basis. This brought the contest back to the ballot box.
In the first round, Al-Ghwairi received 66 votes, compared with 53 for Haddad, while Raed Rabaa secured 15 votes. Three ballots were declared invalid.
A second round was then held between Al-Ghwairi and Haddad, with Al-Ghwairi securing the position with 85 votes against 48 for his rival.
As part of the remaining permanent bureau elections, the House elected MP Malek Al-Tahrawi, who received 84 votes, and MP Rania Abu Rumman, who secured 70 votes.
The outcome was considered a positive development for the Ummah Party Bloc, which secured a position on the permanent bureau for the first time.
These developments followed disagreements during the election of the Speaker and first deputy speaker. That session ended with MPs from the Mubadara and Azm blocs withdrawing, causing the meeting to lose its legal quorum. The Speaker subsequently adjourned the session and postponed completion of the elections until the following day.
The first deputy speaker election resulted in MP Ayatallah Al-Freihat winning with 88 votes, compared with 46 for MP Ahmad Al-Hmeisat. The result contradicted previous understandings that had allocated the position to the Mubadara Bloc, raising questions about the blocs’ ability to honor their agreements and the extent to which bloc decisions influence MPs’ choices in secret ballots.
The repercussions extended beyond competition for parliamentary positions, leading to internal disputes and publicly announced resignations by MPs. This reflected the gap between prior political agreements and the choices ultimately expressed through voting.
The Mithaq, Mubadara and Azm blocs, along with the Centrist Parties and Islah blocs, had previously reached agreements on distributing permanent bureau positions. Under the arrangement, the speakership was allocated to Mithaq, the first deputy speaker position to Mubadara, and the second deputy speaker position to Azm. The two assistant speaker positions were designated for the Centrist Parties and Islah blocs.
Dispute Over an Extra Ballot and Article 35
Alongside these disagreements, a procedural controversy emerged over the counting of votes in the Speaker election after the results board displayed a total of 139 votes, despite only 138 MPs having participated in the ballot.
This raised questions about the possibility of an extra ballot paper and whether it could have affected the integrity of the results, particularly given the narrow margins involved in determining the required majority.
Clarifying the issue, MP Khamis Atiyeh said Article 35 of the House’s Rules of Procedure stipulates that the majority is calculated based on valid ballots, excluding invalid ones. He stressed that the procedure had been conducted accurately.
MP Mohammad Hdeib, head of the election committee, said the counting process had not affected the election results, emphasizing that the committee had approached its responsibilities as a matter of trust and integrity.
Speaking during the parliamentary session, Hdeib explained that before counting began, the committee verified that the number of ballot papers matched the number of MPs who had voted. The two figures were found to be identical, with no extra ballots.
He said the issue was limited to figures being recorded on the results board and subsequently corrected, rather than an error involving the votes themselves.
Hdeib explained that seven ballots had been declared invalid, although the results board initially displayed eight. The figure was immediately corrected to seven, bringing the total number of ballots to 138, matching the number of participating MPs.
He added that most of the invalid ballots had been cast in favor of Speaker Ibrahim Al-Tarawneh, stressing that the correction was made during the counting process.
Regarding the calculation of an absolute majority, Hdeib explained that Article 35 of the Rules of Procedure, cited by Atiyeh, excludes blank and invalid ballots from the votes counted when determining an absolute majority.
Accordingly, he said, the required majority based on the voting results was 65 votes, not 69 or 70.
Hdeib also expressed his respect and appreciation for MP Mujahim Al-Saqour, referring to their relationship of more than 16 years in Parliament, which he described as being built on affection, trust and mutual respect.
He noted that Al-Saqour had selected him to represent him on the election committee and had given him his vote and confidence during the Speaker election.
Hdeib stressed that this personal relationship did not conflict with his commitment, alongside his fellow committee members, to integrity and responsibility in managing the electoral process.
He affirmed that neither the committee nor members of the House would accept any mistakes in parliamentary elections, emphasizing their commitment to fulfilling their duties toward the country and Parliament.
Source: Al-Ghad
