Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Lower House Tuesday elected members of its Permanent Bureau, a day after the opening of the fist ordinary session of the 18th Jordanian Parliament.

The new legislature, meeting in a session chaired by reelected Speaker Atef Tarawneh and attended by Prime Minister Hani Mulki, voted to choose the Permanent Bureau, which includes the Speaker, his two deputies and two assistants.

MP Khamis Atiyeh, who was elected as deputy speaker, having won 66 votes in the 130-seat legislature, stressed team work to restore public confidence in the legislative authority and deal with key hardships facing Jordanians, foremost of which is living conditions.

He urged the government to present a "home-grown" economic programme, not the "recipes" of the International Monetary Fund, which, he said, "had destroyed our economy and increased the suffering of the people".

Atiyeh said he hoped the new legislature "will rise to the level of the regional challenges", and work for the national and pan-Arab interest, notably the Palestinian cause.

Tarawneh called on MPs to sign up for membership of the House's 20 committees, which will be elected on Sunday. The Permanent Bureau will also name members of the panel to respond to the Speech from the Throne.