Fierce dispute in Jordan’s parliament suspends meeting

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A fierce debate in Jordan’s Parliament on Sunday almost came to blows, causing the session to be suspended.

A dispute between Deputy Qusai Dmeisi and Yihya Saud over recently endorsed governmental amendments forced Lower House Speaker Saad Hayel Srour to suspend the meeting until order was restored.

The argument began after Dmeisi tried to prevent Saud from launching accusations at Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour.

Saud accused Ensour of constantly “lying” about governmental policies. Dmeisi retaliated by saying that he could not accept anyone criticizing Ensour. Other parliament members intervened and prevented the two ministers from exchanging blows.

After the meeting finished, Dmeisi apologized to the Parliament’s lower house for his actions.

The Jordanian lower house had on the same day endorsed a number of amendments to the 2013 state budget law, allowing the government to reallocate hundreds of millions of Jordanian dinars to boost certain sectors.

The decision came after more than three hours of discussions amongst dozens of deputies who accused the government of being weak in handling the economic situation in the country.

This is not the first time members of Jordan’s parliament have engaged in heated public disputes. Last year, two Jordanian parliament members got into a heated discussion while being interviewed by a local channel, with one parliamentarian threatening his opponent with a pistol.