His Majesty King Abdullah II will deliver the Speech from the Throne on Sunday, inaugurating the second ordinary session of the 20th Parliament—both the House of Representatives and the Senate—outlining national policies and the main pillars of key regional issues.
اضافة اعلان
In accordance with Article 79 of the Jordanian Constitution, His Majesty opens the ordinary session of Parliament by delivering the Speech from the Throne to both chambers in a joint session. The King may delegate the Prime Minister or one of the ministers to perform the opening ceremonies and deliver the speech.
The late His Majesty King Abdullah I ibn Al-Hussein delegated the Prime Minister to deliver the Speech from the Throne on six occasions between 1929 and 1947. Since then, the tradition of delivering it personally has been upheld by His Majesty King Abdullah II since assuming his constitutional powers.
The first Speech from the Throne in the Emirate was delivered in 1929, the first in the Kingdom in 1946, and the first by His Majesty King Abdullah II in 1999.
According to the Constitution, the King calls Parliament to convene in an ordinary session every October. If that day falls on a public holiday, the session is held on the following day. The day of the opening session is not considered a public holiday.
The King may, by Royal Decree published in the Official Gazette, postpone the convening of Parliament for up to two months.
Each ordinary session lasts six months unless the King dissolves the House of Representatives before its end. The King may also extend the session for a period not exceeding three months to complete pending matters. After the six months or any extension thereof, the King prorogues the session.
The Speech from the Throne
The Speech from the Throne represents a comprehensive roadmap for the national modernization project, calling for enhanced parliamentary and governmental performance, greater coordination among branches of power, and a reaffirmation of the Kingdom’s core values and aspirations. These values are rooted in the founding principles of the Great Arab Revolt and the Hashemite commitment to the Arab and Islamic nations, as well as to the international community.
The speech traditionally emphasizes Jordan’s consistent reform and development approach across all sectors and reflects the Kingdom’s political and economic vision, turning challenges into opportunities.
It also serves as a call to all governmental institutions and citizens to unite in facing current and future challenges through shared effort and cooperation.
Key themes addressed typically include:
The defense of Islam and the fight against terrorism
Reinforcing national unity and democratic values
Expanding political participation
Supporting youth empowerment through education
Enhancing the quality of life for Jordanians
The speech also reaffirms Jordan’s regional and international role, particularly in defending the Palestinian cause and safeguarding the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under the Hashemite Custodianship.
The Throne Attire
There is a special ceremonial attire for the Throne, worn by the King only on two occasions: the Accession to the Throne Day and the delivery of the Speech from the Throne. The attire comes in two colors—white for summer and black for winter—symbolizing sovereignty, dignity, and the constitutional foundations of the state.
The attire reflects the majesty of the occasion and the institutional nature of the monarchy, consistent with Article 1 of the Constitution, which states:
“The system of government is parliamentary, hereditary, and monarchical.”
The First Session
Following the delivery of the Speech from the Throne, the Senate holds its opening session, followed by the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives’ first session is chaired by the longest-serving member; if there are several with equal seniority, the one who has served more parliamentary terms presides, and if equal, then the eldest among them. The two youngest members present assist in the session, in accordance with paragraph (A) of Article 3 of the House’s internal bylaws.
During this session, the Royal Decrees are read aloud, including:
The prorogation of the previous ordinary session as of Sunday, May 18, 2025
The postponement of the new ordinary session until October 26, 2025
The formal Royal invitation to convene Parliament on October 26, 2025
The current House of Representatives was elected under the 2022 Election Law, which—for the first time in Jordan’s history—allocated 41 out of 138 seats to political party lists.
The Permanent Office
After the Speech from the Throne, the House of Representatives holds elections for the Speaker, first and second deputies, and two assistant speakers.
Article (16) of the internal bylaws stipulates that:
“The first and second deputies shall be elected separately in the same manner as the Speaker under Article (14). The two assistant speakers shall be elected on a single list, and those who receive the highest number of votes shall win. In the event of a tie, the result shall be determined by lot.”
Article (14) further states:
“A candidate is considered elected as Speaker if they receive an absolute majority of the votes of members present. If there are only two candidates, the one with the higher number of votes wins; in case of a tie, the result shall be determined by lot.”
The latest amendments to the bylaws require that at least one member of the Permanent Office be a woman. Paragraph (B) of Article 7 specifies that if no woman wins one of the top three positions (Speaker or Deputies), then the right to run for one of the assistant positions shall be limited to female members.
The House also elects a Committee for the Reply to the Speech from the Throne, which must be submitted to His Majesty within 14 days of the speech’s delivery.
Parliamentary Committees
Following the opening, elections are held for the standing committees of the second ordinary session, as per Article (38) of the internal bylaws.
These committees include:
Legal – Financial – Economy and Investment – Foreign Affairs – Administrative – Education – Youth, Sports, and Culture – National Guidance and Media – Health and Food – Agriculture and Water – Environment and Climate – Labor, Social Development, and Population – Energy and Mineral Resources – Public Services and Transport – Tourism and Antiquities – Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship – Public Freedoms and Human Rights – Women and Family Affairs – Rural and Badia Affairs – Palestine Committee.
Source: Al-Mamlaka TV
