A word that ignited a battle Jordan’s representatives add “Jordanian women” to the constitution

The scene of conflict and conflict between members of the Jordanian parliament last week is still etched in the minds of millions of Jordanians. Last week, the phrase “Jordanian women” sparked widespread controversy when examining amendments to the constitution and led to a fist fight.

However, that page was closed today, Sunday, with parliamentary approval to amend article one of the Jordanian constitution by adding the word “Jordanian women” after the word “Jordanian”.

120 deputies voted on the first article of the draft amendment to the constitution, 94 deputies voted in favor and 26 deputies voted against.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives unanimously rejected a constitutional amendment requiring the king to preside over the National Security Council and foreign policy.

walkThat and the fights

There were verbal altercations and fistfights that took place during a session of the Jordanian parliament last Tuesday devoted to the discussion of a draft amendment to the constitution proposed by the government, which prompted the president to update the session.

The battle began between the Speaker of Parliament Abdul Karim Al-Daghmi and a number of MPs when discussion began on the first paragraph concerning the addition of the word “Jordanian women”, as a number of members saw that it was not It is necessary to add this word to the Jordanian constitution enacted in 1952.

“Disadvantages and get out”

Representative Raed Smeirat said in his speech: “It is not allowed to distort the Arabic language . it is a shame for us. The word Jordanians mentioned in the constitution includes all groups”, which angered the speaker of parliament, who he asked for an immediate apology, saying: “There is no shame in this word. This is a dome that has dignity and honor. This word you say to the market is not easy “.

MP Suleiman Abu Yahya, who went to Al-Daghmi, also asked for the session to be adjourned, but questlast refused, then the deputy replied: “You know nothing”.

While Abdel Moneim Al-Awdat, head of the Parliamentary Legal Committee that approved these amendments, considered in a speech during the session broadcast on Jordanian TV that “the addition of the word Jordanian women to the word Jordanians in the first article of the draft amendment of the Jordanian constitution aims at equal rights and duties for both parties.” He added that “the committee does not underestimate the interest of deputies in their homeland and their constitution”, explaining that “the committee has heard a number of experts on constitutional amendments”.

Scenes of quarrels and brawls in the Jordanian parliament (archive - AFP)
Scenes of quarrels and brawls in the Jordanian parliament (archive – AFP)

However, it wasn’t in unable to complete his speech due to the quarrels and chaos that reigned in the boardroom, which prompted its president to adjourn the half-hour session.

But when it resumed, the live broadcast of the government channel “Al-Mamlaka” showed a confrontation and a fist fight between two deputies, so other deputies intervened to calm the situation as the speaker left the room, and the session was suspended.

Interestingly, among the proposed constitutional amendments are the addition of the word “Jordanian women” alongside the word “Jordanian”, the establishment of the “National Security Council”, as well as the reduction of the term of office of the presidency of the parliament to one year. instead of two years, “and authorizing the Independent Electoral Commission to take in consideration of requests for the establishment of parties in location of the Ministry of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs, as well as allowing a quarter of the members of the House of Representatives, for a total of 130 deputies, to request a vote of confidence in the government instead of 10 members.

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