Saad Hayel Srour

Saad Hayel Srour (born 1947 in Mafraq) is a Jordanian politician and the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. He is a Member of the House of Representatives for Northern Badia, being chosen in the elections of 23 January 2013. Previously he served as Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and was Speaker of the House for six sessions during the 12th, 13th and 15th Parliaments.

Srour joined the government of Samir Rifai as Interior Minister on 24 November 2010, he replaced Nayef Qadi in a cabinet reshuffle. He continued as Interior Minister in the government of Marouf al-Bakhit. He was removed from office in cabinet reshuffle in July 2011, after he received criticism from protesters for excessive police-violence against demonstrators in the 2011 Jordanian protests and for letting a for corruption jailed businessman leave the country for medical treatment. He was replaced by Mazen Saket.

February 2013 Speaker election

After being elected for Northern Badia in the January 2013 elections, Srour was also elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on 10 February 2013 for a term concluding in November 2013, when a new ordinary session of legislation was scheduled to start. A total of eight Representatives put themselves up for election as speaker, with four of them withdrawing before the voting started. Of the total number of 150 Representatives only 146 were able to vote, as two were absent, one had resigned and one had died. In the first round of voting Srour gained 50 votes, Mohammad Al Haj of Muslim Centre Party gained 54, Mustafa Shneikat gained 36, and Mahmoud Kharabsheh gained 5 votes. In the second round in which Srour competed against Al Haj, Srour gained 80 votes and Al Haj 62, Srour was therefore declared winner.

November 2013 Speaker election

Srour ran as well for the November 2013 elections for Speaker, at the opening of the regular session of parliament. On 30 October 2013 the list of candidates was down to five candidates, with deputies seeing Srour and Atef Tarawneh as the strongest candidates. However, after the first round of voting on 3 November 2013 the candidates that passed to the second round were Tarawneh and Abdul Karim Dughmi. Dughmi withdrew his candidacy before the second round of voting, making Tarawneh the new Speaker of the House.