AMMAN —
The
Lower House Monday elected Abdul Karim Doghmi as speaker of the Lower House
during Parliament's first ordinary session, which was inaugurated by His
Majesty
King Abdullah with the Speech from The Throne.
اضافة اعلان
Doghmi secured
64 votes in the 130-seat chamber, defeating his rival, MP Nassar Qaisi, who
obtained 58 votes, and 8 ballots were canceled. MP Ahmed Safadi won the post of
first deputy speaker after the withdrawal of his sole rival, lawmaker Hussein
Harasis.
Addressing the
lawmakers after the vote, Doghmi pledged to restore the key role of the House
through amending the House's bylaw on the powers of lawmakers, stressing
cooperation with the government "within the framework of the Constitution,"
and to deal with the outputs of the Royal Committee to Modernize The Political
System in "a professional and serious manner".
He commended
the King’s leadership for overcoming crises, forestalling
sedition, and
emphasizing the need to find a solution to the Palestinian issue, which
safeguards the Palestinian people's right to set up an independent state with
Jerusalem as its capital. He also noted the King's emphasis on solving the
Syrian crisis and ending the armed conflict and terrorism in the country.
Doghmi has
previously held positions in successive governments including minister of
municipal affairs, minister of labor, minister of justice, and minister of
state for Prime Ministry affairs. He was first elected to the Lower House in
1989. Known for his hardline positions, the 66-year-old politician has been
critical in the past of the role of legislature. Two years ago he was
interviewed by Al-Mamlaka TV, when he described Parliament as a “decoration”
and a “show”.
Representative
Tamam Al-Riyati, who was running for speaker of the Lower House, said that she
had withdrawn from the race in rejection of what she said were “despicable
directives” issued in the last two days concerning elections of the speaker of
the Lower House, according to Jo24.
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