Amman, August 19 (Petra) - Lawmakers on Wednesday passed the 70-article 2026 Local Administration draft law by majority vote, concluding four days of deliberations.

During a session chaired by Lower House Speaker Mazen Qadi and attended by cabinet ministers, deputies approved a key recommendation from the Administrative Committee curbing the Cabinet's power to dissolve municipal councils at will.

Under the modified Article 36, municipal councils serve a four-year term, and the Cabinet may only order a dissolution under specific statutory conditions outlined in the law, at which point an interim committee must be appointed until new elections are held within one year.

In Article 37, lawmakers voted to maintain the original draft's structure for governorate councils, granting each council legal personality as well as financial and administrative independence. Membership will include municipal council heads, representatives from major professional syndicates, chambers of commerce, agricultural unions, and civil society groups.

The law mandates that women hold at least 30 percent of council seats through appointment or organizational designation. It also reserves three seats for youth representatives under 35, including at least one person with disabilities coordinated through the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Minister of Local Administration Walid Masri commented that the law aims to establish sustainable local economies and generate jobs across all governorates.

Masri noted that the law requires municipalities to draft developmental and urban plans that form a comprehensive blueprint for each governorate based on its economic advantages. It also introduces inter-governorate joint ventures, modeled on successful initiatives, like the Ajloun Cable Car project, to pool resources across regions.

Masri said that "decentralization is a developmental goal in itself," adding that the legislation establishes a complete framework for good governance, proper spending, and accountability.

Municipal elections initially set for spring 2026 were delayed after the government held back the bill to conduct comprehensive public discussions, Masri said.

The government held 48 consultative sessions involving more than 2,000 experts, lawmakers, and former officials, complemented by additional hearings conducted by the Administrative Committee.

The Cabinet originally approved the draft bill on May 24, 2026, and referred it to Parliament. The House sent the bill to its Administrative Committee on July 12, 2026, which finalized its review on Aug. 13, 2026.

//Petra// HA

19/08/2026 17:25:13