Issue No. 610
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31 Oct. - 6 Nov. 2002 Issue No. 610 Region |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Recommend this page | ||
Bahrainis at the ballot-box
After their big victory in the first round of elections, Bahrain's Islamists are set to sweep the polls once again. Sami Kamal reports from Manama
Bahraini Islamists are expected to win most of the 21 seats in today's second round of legislative elections, the first in nearly 30 years. In last Thursday's poll, Sunni and Salafi Muslim candidates were able to win most of the first round's 19 seats in the 40-seat parliament.
The new parliament will be split between the 40-seat elected chamber and a 40-seat consultative council appointed by King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa.
The polls are part of a reform programme initiated in 2000 by King Hamad. These are partly aimed at giving the Shi'ite Muslim majority a larger say in the affairs of the kingdom. Bahrain has been ruled for centuries by the Sunni Muslim Al-Khalifa family.
Earlier calls for a boycott failed to prevent Bahrainis from voting in the first round of elections held last week. 53.2 per cent of the 243,000 eligible voters, cast their ballots.
According to political observers, the turnout exceeded the most optimistic expectations and reflected eagerness to support the political reforms of King Hamad.
A month before the poll, four influential political groups called for a boycott of the elections. According to analysts, the Islamist's big win should be mainly attributed to a boycott of the polls by the Gulf state's influential opposition forces.
The boycotting parties included the influential Shi'ite, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, and the Islamic National Accord Association (INAA), the main political formation of Bahrain's majority Shi'ite Muslim population. INAA was at the forefront of violent protests against the island's ruling Sunni minority during the 1990s. They were joined by the leftist National Democratic Action Association (NDAA) and the Nationalist Democratic Rally (NDR, who are pan-Arab nationalists).
These groups are unhappy at an amendment to the 1973 constitution, stipulating that legislative power will be evenly split between an elected chamber and an appointed consultative council.
According to Abdel Rahman Al- Na'emi, head of the NDAA, "the new parliament is more like a Shura council, with half its members elected and the others appointed."
They are also displeased that the division of Bahrain into 40 constituencies did not take demographics and the size of each electoral area into account, arguing there will be a situation whereby some MPs are elected by 12,000 voters and others by only 500.
However, calls for a boycott were generally peaceful and the four political parties did not resort to threats or violence. This attitude was remarked upon by Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al- Khalifa, who described their stance as "civilised".
However, the boycott was criticised by some Bahrainis as weakening the parliament. "The boycott was a golden opportunity for inexperienced candidates," said Bahraini analyst Jassim Hussein. "Now we have a house where 47 per cent of the people are not represented. This is a negative development."
With the new parliament including a majority of Islamists, lots of questions are being asked about the future of tourism in Bahrain. The Islamists have always called for applying Shari'a law to their tiny Gulf country.
Sheikh Adel Al-Ma'awra, head of the Association of Islamic Authenticity, and an Islamic figure who won in the first round, said that the issue of banning alcohol in Bahrain will be one of the main issues discussed in parliament.
Recently, the Islamists in Bahrain have succeeded in curbing shows in nightclubs and hotels. More than 22 entertainment halls inside hotels have been closed down, and hotels have been banned from being established in populated areas.
The election was also a milestone for women as it marked their first opportunity to vote and run for national office. No woman won outright in last week's polls, but two women are among candidates contesting today.
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