Jordanian deputy speaker leaves Watan bloc over Ensour support

Khalil Attiya says he wants to maintain his political credibility The First Deputy Speaker of the Jordanian House of Representatives, Khalil Attiya, has pulled out of the Watan bloc after disagreements over the appointment of a new prime minister. Attiya is the fourth MP to leave parliament's largest faction over this contentious issue, cutting Watan's power bank to just 24 members.
Watan MP Atef Tarawneh said Attiya's resignation did not come as a surprise to the bloc, because it happened as part of a series of resignations. Attiya's brother, Khamis, was among the other three members to leave Watan bloc.
In negotiations with Royal Court chief Fayez Tarawneh last month, Watan had chosen to back Abdullah Ensour to form a new government. However, Ensour's decision to raise fuel prices prompted some MPs to change their minds about his appointment.
Watan said that its preferred candidate would freeze energy prices, support the creation of a new electoral law, and take constitutional amendments seriously.
The Deputy Speaker announced his resignation from Watan due to its continouous backing for Ensour.
In a statement, Attiya said he was leaving the parliamentary bloc out of a desire to preserve his credibility among the people. He said some of his colleagues in the bloc had "shown disregard for people on the street who are suffering from high fuel prices."
He accused the government of making decisions that affect the poor and the House of Representatives' authority "behind the MPs' backs," stressing his impartiality as deputy speaker.
Speaking to Arabstoday, Watan MP Atef Tarawneh revealed that the bloc would be discussing Khalil Attiya's resignation, adding that Attiya had taken the position of deputy speaker with support from members.
Commenting on the selection of a new prime minister, Tarawneh said: "The bloc's conditions are indivisible, and it still demands that prices are not raised and that a modern electoral law is created." He said the bloc had taken it upon itself to dissuade Ensour from his decision.
Despite this, Tarawneh referred to Ensour as "the right man for the job" because he has done "a lot of good," adding that fuel prices have been increased by governments in the past.