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Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy (until 2002 emirate) with an executive appointed by the king, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and a bi-cameral legislature, with the Chamber of Deputies elected by universal suffrage, and the Shura Council appointed directly by the king. ...
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view • talk • edit | Bahrain will hold parliamentary elections on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, as well as municipal elections, and is currently in the midst of an election campaign. The position of king of Bahrain was created in February 2002 when the then emir of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah gave himself the title of king. ...
Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah (born January 28, 1950 in Ar-Rifa, Bahrain) (Arabic: Øمد بن عيسى آل خليÙØ©) is the current King of Bahrain (from 2002), having previously been its Emir (since 1999). ...
In Bahrain, the Prime Minister is the head of government of the country. ...
‎Khalifah ibn Sulman al-Khalifah (born 1936) is the Prime Minister of Bahrain. ...
The National Assembly is the name of both chambers of the Bahraini parliament when sitting in joint session, as laid out in the Constitution of 2002. ...
The Consultative Council (majlis al-shura) is the name given to the upper house of the National Assembly, the main legislative body of Bahrain. ...
The Council of Representatives (majlis an-nuwab), sometimes translated as the Chamber of Deputies, is the name given to the lower house of the Bahraini National Assembly, the main legislative body of Bahrain. ...
Political parties from the former Communist Left to the Islamist Right sit in parliament in Bahrain, but are known technically as Political Associations or Blocs. ...
The National Assembly is bicameral with the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, having 40 members elected in single-seat constituencies for a four year term. ...
The Kingdom of Bahrain, or Bahrain, is a borderless country in the Persian Gulf (Southwest Asia/Middle East, Asia). ...
Women’s political rights have been a cornerstone of the political reforms initiated by King Hamad with for the first time women being given the right to vote and stand as candidates in national elections after the constitution was amended in 2002. ...
Bahrain plays a modest, moderating role in regional politics and adheres to the views of the Arab League on Middle East peace and Palestinian rights. ...
Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ...
November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The election was preceded by a major political realignment that saw the four opposition parties that boycotted 2002's election agree to take part in the political process. The former alliance consists of Bahrain's main Shia Islamist party, Al Wefaq, the radical Islamist, Islamic Action Society, Leftist Waad and the former Baathists. To meet the challenge posed by Al Wefaq, the two main Sunni Islamist parties, the salafist Asalah and the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Al Menbar, agreed to form a coalition to maximise their votes. Most observers predict that Al Wefaq and the Sunni Islamists will dominate the new parliament, while liberals and the Left are likely to be further pushed towards the political margins. Al Wefaq National Islamic Society is Bahrains most largest political society. ...
The Islamic Action Society (Arabic جمعية العمل الإسلامي JamÊ¿iyyat al-Ê¿Amal al-IslÄmÄ«) is one of the main Islamist political parties in Bahrain, and mainly appeals to Shīˤa followers of the Najaf-based Ä€yatu l-LÄh, HÄdÄ« al-MudarrisÄ«, who are known as the ShirÄzÄ« faction. The...
The National Democratic Action is Bahrains largest Leftist political party, comprised of an alliance between former Maoists, socialists and Arab nationalists. ...
A Salafi (Arabic سلفي lit. ...
Asalah is the main Salafist party in Bahrain, and after 2002s general election is one of the most well represented in the Kingdoms parliament with seven MPs. ...
Muslim Brotherhood symbol. ...
Al Menbar Islamic Bloc is the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Bahrain. ...
The Economists Bloc is a liberal political party in Bahrain represented by three MPs in parliament. ...
Campaign trail
Predictably, the main issues of Bahraini politics have dominated the campaign, but with Al Wefaq likely to be the largest party in parliament (leader Sheikh Ali Salman has said he expects it and other opposition parties to win 25 seats[1]), competing candidates have also turned their attention to its agenda, particularly the party's relationship with the highest Shia religious body in Bahrain, the Islamic Scholars Council. Several candidates have claimed that they are being forced out of the race, including Jassim Abdulaal of the Economists Bloc, by influential clerics who are telling their congregations who to vote for[2]. The criticism became more pointed after the Council described Al Wefaq as the 'Bloc of Believers'. Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy (until 2002 emirate) with an executive appointed by the king, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and a bi-cameral legislature, with the Chamber of Deputies elected by universal suffrage, and the Shura Council appointed directly by the king. ...
Ali Salman is the president of the Al-Wefaq political society in Bahrain. ...
The Economists Bloc is a liberal political party in Bahrain represented by three MPs in parliament. ...
The Shia Islamist Al Amal, which has close links with the 'Shirazi faction', has been most specific in its criticism. Its head, Sheikh Mohammad Ali Al Mahfood, complained: "The Islamic Scholars Council should not dictate how people vote and should allow them to make their own personal choices about the most competent candidates. It looks as if the council has turned into a partisan umbrella for a specific society and this diminishes its authority and confines its influence. We have often blamed the government for appointing 40 members to the bi-cameral parliament, yet we are doing the same thing and hijacking the people's right to make their own choices" [3] The Islamic Action Society (Arabic جمعية العمل الإسلامي JamÊ¿iyyat al-Ê¿Amal al-IslÄmÄ«) is one of the main Islamist political parties in Bahrain, and mainly appeals to Shīˤa followers of the Najaf-based Ä€yatu l-LÄh, HÄdÄ« al-MudarrisÄ«, who are known as the ShirÄzÄ« faction. The...
Al Wefaq in turn has denied that it is intimidating opponents; its leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, told a press conference "Let's make it clear to those campaigning against us, that we respect our competitors, whoever they are, and would do nothing to harm them."[4] Ali Salman is the president of the Al-Wefaq political society in Bahrain. ...
Al Wefaq has campaigned for greater government subsidies for low income families, with the party's candidate, Dr Jasim Husain, who is the University of Bahrain Research Deanship Economic Research Unit Head, saying "People today have to pay rent, electricity, telephone, Internet and water bills, in addition to other fees. They have to buy food, clothing, pay for car instalments and even recreation. But this is impossible, because many fall short as their salaries are not enough." Dr Husain said that government complacency was a problem, especially after the latest United Nations Human Development Report 2006 ranks Bahrain 39th out of 177 countries and second only to Kuwait in the Arab world[5]. Dr Husain said that the country could do better by looking to the future: "The government should be giving more money to education and training, rather than defence and police. We are not saying that defence and police are not important, but they should be given less attention."[6] // The Establishment and Development The roots of the University go back to the late sixties when the Higher Institutes for male and female teachers were established. ...
The government has responded to criticism on social welfare by announcing that it will put forward legislation so that Bahrain becomes the first Arab country to introduce unemployment benefit. According to economist, Alaa al-Yousuf, Bahrain has an unemployment rate of 15%, with women very over-represented[7]. The government's announcement is interpreted as pre-emptive of an expected move by the new parliament to draft legislation to bring in unemployment benefit, which would allow MPs to claim the credit. The introduction of unemployment benefit is not supported by all candidates, National Unity Bloc candidate in Hamad Town, Abbas Ayed, has portrayed the move as symptomatic of a government approach that recognises problems after they happen, but has failed to take preventative measures to stop them in the first place. Instead, Mr Ayed has called for greater investment in training and education for Bahraini workers: "Train them and remove expatriate workers and see if they can do their jobs or not."[8]
Al Wefaq and the other three parties that boycotted the 2002 poll have stated that they will use their presence in the 2006 parliament to campaign for a single elected legislature, and Al Wefaq has gone further and committed itself to reform of the judiciary. The party wants to see the Supreme Judiciary Council elected by all the judges in the country instead of being appointed by its Supreme Chairman King Hamad. Al Wefaq candidate Sayed Haidar Al Sitri has proposed that the elected president of the Council should be independent ensure and neither influenced by the National Assembly nor the government, saying: "Bahrain is developing and also its judiciary system, which we hope will be completely independent."[9] Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah (born January 28, 1950 in Manama, Bahrain) is the current King of Bahrain (from 2002), having previously been its Emir (since 1999). ...
The outgoing parliamentary speaker, Khalifa Al Dhahrani, is facing a strong challenge in his constituency in Riffa from Sheikh Salman Bin Saqr Al Khalifa, who is a member of the Al Khalifa family and journalist with the Al Wasat newspaper. Sheikh Salman has said that as a member of the royal ramily he hopes his decision to contest the elections will stimulate other members of the ruling families in the Gulf countries to contest national elections and "end a tradition of not running in public polls"[10]. Al Dhahrani, who is backed by Sunni Islamists, has a further challenge in retaining the speakership after his previous performance was criticised for failing to control radical Islamist MPs in the debating chamber. Al Wefaq leader Ali Salman may run for speaker post elections, as it is predicted that his party will be the largest in the new parliament. Khalifa Al Dhahrani is the chairman of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain and is therefore the most senior MP in parliament. ...
Riffa is an area in the Kingdom of Bahrain. ...
The Al-Khalifa dynasty is the ruling family of Bahrain. ...
One of Bahrain’s most outspoken Islamist MPs is Mohammed Khalid, the Al Menbar representative from the Northern Governorate. ...
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society is Bahrains most largest political society. ...
Ali Salman is the president of the Al-Wefaq political society in Bahrain. ...
Al Wefaq has been skillful in how it has criticised the government, taking it to task over its track record in providing goods and services to Bahrainis rather than questioning its political legitimacy per se - for instance, in a televised debate on Bahrain TV, Ali Salman accused the administration of being 'lazy'[11] and failing to meet its obligations in education and employment. This is a theme that Al Wefaq is likely to continue in parliament with Ali Salman promising "If we find the necessary cooperation [from government], we will be highly positive. But if we find that the government or one of its ministers is stalling people's interests, then we will hold them responsible."[12]
Women candidates - See also: Bahrain election 2006 women candidates
A large number of women candidates are contesting the poll, with one female candidate, Lateefa Al Gaood, winning her seat by default even before polling began when her two opponents withdrew their candidacies. This makes her one of the Gulf's female candidate to serve in an elected parliament in the Gulf. Critics have accused the government of engineering her victory because it wanted to see a female candidate succeed and they are aware that it is highly unlikely any woman will be elected in the voting. Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
Several female candidates have faced an orchestrated campaign of political abuse against them through text messages telling them to withdraw from the contest and one woman had her election marquee burnt to the ground by an unidentified assailant. Women's organisations have been strongly criticised during the campaign for not doing enough to support female candidates; liberal columnist Sawsan Al Shair has said "We have seen business leaders, liberal thinkers and even foreign religious scholars move from one tent to the other to interact with constituents or deliver lectures. But we have not seen any women's organisation do or say anything throughout this month. We had high expectations because the elections are a golden opportunity for women to highlight their programmes and ambitions. But instead, we see that the women's societies have withdrawn into their shells." [13]
One of the most highly regarded candidates is University of Bahrain academic, Dr Munira Fakhro, who is a leading member of the Supreme Council for Women and co-author of the Arab Human Development Report. Dr Fakhro is standing for the Leftist National Democratic Action (of which she is Vice-President) in suburban Isa Town. The NDA along with the National Unity Bloc are the only two parties fielding female candidates; both parties have their origins in Bahrain's Marxist movement. However, all parties with the exception of salafist Asalah have publicly stated that they do not object to women MPs. Asalah for its part has said that its position reflects its "honesty" and has inferred that opponents are being hypocritical. Munira Fakhro, Bahraini academic and leftist political activist. ...
The Supreme Council for Women is Bahrain’s advisory body to the government on womens issues. ...
The Arab Human Development Report is published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). ...
The National Democratic Action is Bahrains largest Leftist political party, comprised of an alliance between former Maoists, socialists and Arab nationalists. ...
The Bahrain National Stadium in Isa Town Isa Town (Madinat Isa) is a middle class suburb of Bahrains capital, Manama. ...
Asalah is the main Salafist party in Bahrain, and after 2002s general election is one of the most well represented in the Kingdoms parliament with seven MPs. ...
Business leaders' political strategy The domination of politics by religious parties has seen concerns raised by the business community that their voice will be marginalised. The agenda of both Al Wefaq and the Sunni Islamists has been portrayed by opponents as "statist", while there are concerns that the government may be tempted to buy off opponents in parliament through traditional clientelism by providing their supporters with jobs in the civil service, thus further bloating the public sector. Ironically, business representatives, being both liberal and anti-sectarian, tend to have most in common with parties on the Left of Bahrain's political spectrum, such as the National Democratic Action. However, with Left-wing and liberal parties likely to fare badly in the polling, business groups have been urged not to back specific parties and risk alienating opponents, but to lobby MPs after the election to ensure they understand businesses' concerns[14]. The National Democratic Action is Bahrains largest Leftist political party, comprised of an alliance between former Maoists, socialists and Arab nationalists. ...
Al Sistani's intervention Turnout is expected to be "fairly high" according to a survey by Al-Wasat, which predicts that it should be significantly up on 2002's 53% participation rate. Shia religious leader Sheikh Isa Qassim has been joined by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Iraq in urging voters to go to turn out in the polls. "Boycotting the elections would be a grave mistake," said the fatwa that the Shiite establishment. According to a poll in Al Wasat newspaper, 1.9% of voters will heed calls for a boycott being made by a splinter group of Salafists and the Haq Movement[15]. Grand Ayatollah Al Sistani's backing for the poll is similar to the edict received by Salafist leader, Adel Al Mouawda, in 2002 from Sunni religious authorities in Saudi Arabia that allowed him and other Sunnis to vote and run in the elections. Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Husaini Sistani (Arabic: السيد علي الحسيني السيستاني Persian: سید علی حسینی سیستانی...
The Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy (Arabic: Øركة ØÙ‚) is an opposition political organization in Bahrain founded in 2005. ...
Adel Al Mouwda is the deputy chairman of Bahrain’s parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, and the former leader of salafist party, Asalah. ...
Bahrain's opposition candidates will not win more than 25 of the 40 seats up for grabs in the parliamentary elections, Al Wefaq Society leader Shaikh Ali Salman has said. The leader who is himself a candidate in the Northern Governorate did not explain how he arrived at the figure, but said that the opposition would be working with the government for more reforms. "If we find the necessary cooperation, we will be highly positive. But if we find that the government or one of its ministers is stalling people's interests, then we will hold them responsible."
Ex-Al Qaeda suspects contesting poll Several individuals contesting the election have been accused of links with international terrorism. In a bitter battle in Riffa, extremist Salafist, Jassim Al Saeedi, is being challenged from the Right by Muhejeudeen Mohmood Mohyeden, who claims that the government has branded him an Al Qaeda operative. Mr Mohyeden says that the allegations arise from a visit he made to Afghanistan[16], but that instead of undermining his campaign the claims have helped to raise his profile in the conservative constituency. Riffa is an area in the Kingdom of Bahrain. ...
Jassim Al Saeedi MP is a Bahrain salafist member of parliament representing a constituency in Riffa. ...
al-Qaeda or al-Qaida (, translit: ; the Law, the foundation, the base or the database) is an armed Sunni Islamist organization with the stated objective of eliminating foreign influence in Muslim countries, eradicating those they deem to be infidels, and reestablishing the califate. ...
Municipal candidate, Muhieddin Khan, (who is backed by the National Justice Movement) has spent most of the election campaign before a Bahraini court charged with planning terror attacks. Mr Khan, along with three other alleged members of the cell, was only found not guilty on 20 November 2006, less than five days before the poll. After the verdict Mr Khan announced that he is suing the Bahraini government for BD700,000 for harrassment. The National Justice Movement is a secular nationalist political party in Bahrain, founded on 5 March 2006 in Muharraq. ...
On the Shia Right, the Islamic Action Society is seen as the direct descendent of the group that plotted a coup d'etat in Bahrain in 1981; the party's leaders only returned to public life in Bahrain after they returned from exile or were released from prison in 2001. The Islamic Action Society (Arabic جمعية العمل الإسلامي JamÊ¿iyyat al-Ê¿Amal al-IslÄmÄ«) is one of the main Islamist political parties in Bahrain, and mainly appeals to Shīˤa followers of the Najaf-based Ä€yatu l-LÄh, HÄdÄ« al-MudarrisÄ«, who are known as the ShirÄzÄ« faction. The...
Controversy The political campaign began in controversial circumstances in September 2006, with the Bandargate scandal, in which it was alleged that a secret organization of government officials were planning to rig the elections to marginalize the Shia community. Under the plan, an alleged secret organization set up a slush fund to finance candidates sympathetic to the government, with sums of hundreds of dinars given to several candidates in order to lessen the number of seats won by Al Wefaq [17]. The plot led to crisis talks between King Hamad and the leaders of Bahrain's political parties, as well as senior clerics, such as Sheikh Isa Qassim. After being given assurances from the King, opposition groups announced that they would continue to participate in the poll[18]. The Bandargate scandal refers to an alleged political conspiracy by the certain government officials in Bahrain to foment sectarian strife and marginalize the majority Shia community in the country. ...
Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ...
Slush fund is, colloquially, a term which has come to mean an auxiliary monetary account or a reserve fund. ...
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society is Bahrains most largest political society. ...
Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah (born January 28, 1950 in Manama, Bahrain) is the current King of Bahrain (from 2002), having previously been its Emir (since 1999). ...
Subsequently, poll monitors, the Bahrain Transparency Society, registered 79 violations ranging from oversized banners and posters, out-of-place billboards, attacks on the character of contenders, dissemination of lies and rumours, anti-women calls and the use of mosques to promote candidates.[19]. Opponents of prominent Leftist candidate, Dr Munira Fakhro, have sought to use text messaging to try to portray her as anti-religious, receiving backing from by both the government and Al Wefaq, and drawn attention to her personal wealth. Dr Fakhro dismissed the attacks: "To say that only a poor person can feel with the poor is ludicrous and illogical."[20]
The only member of the royal family to contest the elections, Sheikh Salman bin Saqer Al-Khalifa, has alleged that his opponent in Riffa, Khalifa Al Dhahrani, has the backing of a Kuwaiti tribe which should not be allowed to vote under the electoral rules but will be casting their votes for Mr Al Dhahrani. [21] Riffa is an area in the Kingdom of Bahrain. ...
Khalifa Al Dhahrani is the chairman of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain and is therefore the most senior MP in parliament. ...
The Haq Movement has lead a call for a boycott of the 2006 elections arguing that it is unconstitutional under the 1976 constitution, that the electoral districts have been heavily gerrymandered to favor the desires of the Al Khalifa royal family, and that mass illegal political naturalization has taken place [22]. The Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy (Arabic: Øركة ØÙ‚) is an opposition political organization in Bahrain founded in 2005. ...
Redrawing electoral districts in this example creates a guaranteed 3-to-1 advantage for Party 1. ...
The Al-Khalifa dynasty is the ruling family of Bahrain. ...
On 16 November 2006, two activists for the Haq Movement, Dr. Mohammed Saeed and Hussain Abdelrazaq Alhabashi, were arrested by Bahraini police for distributing material urging Bahraini to boycott the November 25 elections [23] [24]. The Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy (Arabic: Øركة ØÙ‚) is an opposition political organization in Bahrain founded in 2005. ...
Constituency contests profiled Categories: Middle East geography stubs ...
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Predictions According to the Dubai-based Gulf News: Gulf News is an English language newspaper published from Dubai, United Arab Emirates with a daily readership of 91,000. ...
- Tomorrow’s Parliamentary elections are widely expected to change the face of Bahrain's politics as the opposition is set to win the majority of seats of the Council of Representatives, controlled for the past four years by a strong pro-government block.
- However, a victory by the opposition, many in this open-minded and multicultural state fear, may deal a significant blow to the country's withering liberal tradition.
- The Islamists, led by Bahrain's biggest Islamic society, Al Wefaq, are coming, warns a leading liberal activist.
- The liberal elite are worried the upcoming Parliament "will restrict whatever personal freedoms may have been left" in a country where the people are used to a Western-like lifestyle, said Abdullah Al Madani.
- More than 30 Islamist candidates are expected to win seats, including 17 from Al Wefaq, a Shiite group, and six from the Sunni Salafi group Al Assalah.[25]
There are also concerns that domination of parliament by Islamists from two different sects arguing contentious issues in the chamber may further encourage sectarianism. Bahrain's leading salafist politician, Sheikh Adel Al Mouwdah, has sought to play down the fears and welcomed the prospect of working with Al Wefaq and other Shia Islamists, seeing opportunities for cooperation, saying "I would rather have Islamists from both Sunni and Shiite sects than liberal deputies who do not uphold Islamic values."[26] Adel Al Mouwda is the deputy chairman of Bahrain’s parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, and the former leader of salafist party, Asalah. ...
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