His Majesty King Hamad will today inaugurate the fourth session of the fifth legislative term of the National Assembly.
It is expected that the King’s opening address will be online, while MPs and Shura Council members will be seated in the chamber behind plastic barriers.
Shura will immediately hold its session following the address to elect its first and second vice-chairmen. Jamal Fakhro and Jameela Nusaif are running unopposed for both posts respectively.
Parliament’s session will follow Shura’s and is set to be a general debate on multiple topics stemming from the King’s address.
Progress report of MPs during the third session (October 2020 - May 2021) of the fifth legislative term
“We are all aware of the devastation caused by the outbreak of Covid-19 on global economies, businesses and people’s lives,” said National Assembly and Parliament Speaker Fouzia Zainal.
“As legislators we have to realise that complex challenges have to be addressed and recovery plans implemented in an efficient and precise manner.”
The GDN reported on Thursday that Parliament is set to meet twice a week to clear a backlog of up to 400 legislations that are still pending.
Besides the regular session on Tuesday, an extraordinary meeting will be held every week to discuss vital legislation.
The chamber’s four-year tenure is due to end in May.
Topics to be debated during the fourth session by legislators include 49 government-drafted and 93 Parliament-drafted bills, 12 Royal Decrees issued during Parliament’s five-month recess and 227 proposals.
MPs will further review the Administrative and Financial Audit Bureau report that will be issued before the year’s end, besides another postponed from last year, in addition to financial reports.
Parliament and municipal elections are set to be held next year.
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