Bahraini general election, 2014

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Bahraini general election, 2014
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All 40 seats to the lower house
 First partySecond partyThird party
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LeaderGhanim Al BuaneenSalah Ali
PartyIndependents Al Asalah Al-Menbar Islamic Society
Last election1732
Seats won3721
Seat change+20-1-1
Bahrain
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General elections were held in Bahrain on 22 November 2014, with a second round on 29 November in constituencies where no candidate received at least 50% of the vote. [1] [2] The elections were boycotted by the Shiite Islamist opposition. [3] The government announced the voter turnout as 52.6%, [4] although the opposition claimed it was only 30%. [5]

Bahrain Sovereign island state in the Persian Gulf

Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in the Persian Gulf. The sovereign state comprises a small archipelago centered around Bahrain Island, situated between the Qatar peninsula and the north eastern coast of Saudi Arabia, to which it is connected by the 25-kilometre (16 mi) King Fahd Causeway. Bahrain's population is 1,234,571, including 666,172 non-nationals. It is 765.3 square kilometres (295.5 sq mi) in size, making it the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore.

Voter turnout percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election

Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Eligibility varies by country, and the voting-eligible population should not be confused with the total adult population. Age and citizenship status are often among the criteria used to determine eligibility, but some countries further restrict eligibility based on sex, race, or religion.

Contents

Independents won 37 of the 40 seats with Sunni Islamists losing two of their five seats. The number of Shiite MPs fell to 14 as a result of the opposition boycott. Female representation was reduced from four to three. [6] [7]

Electoral system

The forty members of the Council of Representatives are elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system. [8] Voters and candidates must be Bahrani citizens and at least 20 years old. [8] Non-citizens, primarily migrant workers from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who migrated to Bahrain in recent decades, make up more than half of the population. [9]

Council of Representatives (Bahrain)

The Council of Representatives, 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.

Two-round system voting system used to elect a single winner where a second round of voting is used if no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round

The two-round system is a voting method used to elect a single winner, where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate. However, if no candidate receives the required number of votes, then those candidates having less than a certain proportion of the votes, or all but the two candidates receiving the most votes, are eliminated, and a second round of voting is held.

Background

Politics of Bahrain takes the form of an Executive Monarchy where the hereditary ruler, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, exercises significant authority in the context of the 2002 constitution and a partially elected parliament. Politics takes a sectarian element as well, as the King is Sunni Muslim whilst a majority of Bahraini citizens are Shi'ite Muslims.

Politics of Bahrain

Politics of Bahrain takes place since 2002 in a framework of a constitutional monarchy where the government is appointed by the King of Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The head of the government since 1971 is Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and the Crown Prince is Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who serves as Commander of the Bahrain Defence Force. The parliament is a bi-cameral legislature, with the Chamber of Deputies elected by universal suffrage, and the Shura Council appointed directly by the king. MP Khalifa Al Dhahrani is the Speaker of Parliament.

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa King of Bahrain

Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa has been the monarch of Bahrain since 6 March 1999, initially as emir, and from 14 February 2002, as the first King of Bahrain. He is the son of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the previous and first emir. The country has been ruled by the Al Khalifa dynasty since 1783.

Constitution of Bahrain

Bahrain has had two constitutions in its modern history. The first one was promulgated in 1973, and the second one in 2002.

The first elections in 2002 were boycotted by the most popular political parties, including the Shiite Islamist Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society. Voter turnout was 53%, with the highest number of seats won by the conservative Salafist Al Asalah Islamic Society and the Islamic Forum, who each won 6 seats each from the 40 elected.

Al-Wefaq lifted their boycott in the next elections in 2006, although the breakaway Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy continued to call for a boycott. Voter turnout increased to 72%, with Al-Wefaq winning 17 of the 40 seats and Sunni Islamists from Al Asalah and the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Al Menbar Islamic Society winning 12 in total. However, the King's uncle Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa continued as Prime Minister, with around half of the cabinet drawn from the ruling Al Khalifa family.

Haq Movement

The Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy is an opposition political organization in Bahrain founded in November 2005 with Hasan Mushaima as its secretary general. Several of its leaders were previously in the leadership of the Al Wefaq society, but it also contains others, Ali Rabea, a secular nationalist and former member of parliament previously associated with the National Democratic Action Society, and Shaikh Isa Al Jowder, a Sunni cleric.

Muslim Brotherhood transnational Sunni Islamist organization

The Society of the Muslim Brothers, better known as the Muslim Brotherhood, is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna in 1928. The organization gained supporters throughout the Arab world and influenced other Islamist groups such as Hamas with its "model of political activism combined with Islamic charity work", and in 2012 sponsored the elected political party in Egypt after the January Revolution in 2011. However, it faced periodic government crackdowns for alleged terrorist activities, and as of 2015 is considered a terrorist organization by the governments of Bahrain, Egypt, Russia, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The 2010 election saw the Sunni Islamists lose most of their seats to independents. Al-Wefaq took 64% of the vote despite the arrest of opposition spokespersons and allegations of vote rigging. However, they increased their total only to 18 seats due to unequal electoral boundaries. [10] Two months later, the Arab Spring protests started in Tunisia, spreading to Bahrain in February 2011 with the start of the Pearl uprising. In a brutal crackdown backed by 1,500 troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the government cleared the main protest site at the Pearl Roundabout. All 18 members of Al-Wefaq resigned from parliament and the party was temporarily banned. The vacant seats were won by independents in the subsequent by-elections.

Campaign

A record 266 candidates stood for election to the 40 seats, including a record 22 women. [3] Only 36 of these candidates represented political parties, with the remaining 230 being independents. [11] The candidates were described as being "mostly Sunni", despite the country's Shia majority. [12] Opposition media said most of these were "random unknowns" who were just running a "good package" that included "$150,000 a year, a generous pension plan, a diplomatic passport and a car". [13]

In October 2014 five opposition parties, including Al Wefaq and the leftist al Wa'ad, announced that they would boycott the elections, claiming that they would not be fair and the election was an attempt to establish "absolute rule in Bahrain". [14] [15]

Nine political parties in total contested the elections. [11] The Al Menbar Islamic Society formed a coalition called the 'Al-Fateh Coalition' with three other political groups: the National Unity Gathering, al Meethaq and al Wasat. [16] Al Asalah ran alone as did the secular al Watan.

Results

The first round saw only six candidates elected, with 34 seats going forward to a second round on 29 November. [17] The six candidates included one from al Asalah and five independents. [5] Al Asalah had three candidates through to the second round, Al Menbar had four, with two each from al Meethaq, Wasat and al Watan and one from Al Wasat Al Arabi. [16] [11]

The second round saw victories for only two candidates from the political societies - one from al Asalah and one from al Menbar, leaving both Islamist groups down one MP. The largest gains were for independents, 14 of whom were from the Shiite majority. [6] Only 10 of the 40 elected MPs were outgoing members of the previous parliament. Of the 23 female candidates, only three were elected (one fewer than in 2010). [7]

e  •  d  Summary of the 22 and 29 November 2014 Council of Representatives of Bahrain elections results
PartyIdeologyCandidatesElected - 1st roundRun offElected - 2nd roundElected - TotalElected - PreviousElected - Change
Al Asalah Sunni Salafist 613123-1
Al-Menbar Islamic Society Sunni Islamist 5-4112-1
Al Meethaq Liberal 3-2----
Al Wasat4-2----
Al Watan10-2----
Al Wasat al Arabi1-1----
National Unity Gathering7------
Al Wefaq Shia Islamist -----18-18
IndependentsVarious230554323717+20
Total266668344040
Source: "Bahrain's political societies lose big in polls". Gulf Daily News . 30 November 2014.

Aftermath

After the election of members of the Council of Representatives, the King appointed the 40 members of the Consultative Council and the National Assembly was sworn in for a new term on 14 December. [18] The government resigned on 30 November with a cabinet reshuffle announced on 7 December. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

Elections in Bahrain

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 upper house, the Shura Council, has 40 members appointed by the King of Bahrain, with the stated aim of giving a voice to minority communities and technocratic experts within the legislative process. Supporters of the system refer to long established democracies the United Kingdom and Canada operating with this bicameralism with an appointed upper chamber and an elected lower chamber. Opponents of this system point out that unlike the bicameral systems in the UK and Canada, the Bahraini system gives the unelected upper house equal or more legislative power than the elected lower house, allowing the King to control all legislation. Opponents also point out that the current system was imposed unilaterally by the King, violating the 1973 Constitution and a 2001 signed agreement with the Bahraini opposition.

Islam in Bahrain

Islam is the state religion in Bahrain. Due to an influx of immigrants and guest workers from non-Muslim countries, such as India, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, the overall percentage of Muslims in the country has declined since the late 20th century. Bahrain's 2010 census indicated that 90.2% of the population is Muslim. The last official census to include sectarian identification reported 83% as Shia of the Muslim population.

The National Democratic Action Society - Wa'ad is Bahrain's largest leftist political party.

Al Wefaq Bahraini political party

Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, or Al-Wefaq for short, is a Bahraini political party. Although from 2006 to 2011 it was by far the single largest party in the Bahraini legislature, with 18 representatives in the 40-member Bahraini parliament, it was often outvoted by coalition blocs of opposition Sunni parties and independent MPs reflecting gerrymandering of electoral districts. On 27 February 2011, the 18 Al-Wefaq members of parliament submitted letters of resignation to protest regime violence against pro-reform Bahraini protestors.

Ali Salman Ahmed Salman is a Bahraini Twelver Shi'a cleric and the Secretary-General of the Al-Wefaq political society. In January 1995 the Bahraini government forcibly exiled him to Dubai for leading a popular campaign demanding the reinstatement of the constitution and the restoration of parliament during the 1990s Uprising. From there he made his way to London and sought asylum. He continued opposition activities from London, where he was associated with the Bahrain Freedom Movement. Salman returned to Bahrain in March 2001 in a general amnesty as part of a set of political reforms announced by King Hamad.

Al Meethaq, or the 'National Action Charter Society', is a liberal political party in Bahrain. It was founded by Sunni and Shia businessmen from well-known families in 2002.

Womens rights in Bahrain

Women's rights have been a cornerstone of the political reforms initiated by King Hamad, with women gaining the right to vote and stand as candidates in national elections for the first time after the constitution was amended in 2002. The extension of equal political rights has been accompanied by a conscious drive to promote women to positions of authority within government.

Sheikh Adel Al Mouwda was the second deputy chairman of Bahrain's parliament of 2002, the Chamber of Deputies, and the former leader of salafist party, Asalah. Sheikh Al Mouwda is considered the leading spokesman for political Islam in Bahrain and is known for his forthright views, which has seen him often quoted in the international press.

National Justice Movement

The National Justice Movement, also known as the Al Adala Society, is a secular nationalist political party in Bahrain.

Munira Fakhro is a Bahraini academic and was a candidate in Bahrain's 2006 general election for the opposition Waad.

Bahrain election 2006 women candidates Wikimedia list article

Women candidates of the 2006 Bahrain election, which took place on the November 25, 2006 were reported to have received numerous threats from Islamic salafist and other factions to prevent them taking part. In all, eighteen female candidates of various political stances and views took part after recent changes to the political system in 2001 allowed women to not only become candidates, but also gave them the right to vote.

Al-Menbar Islamic Society

Al Menbar National Islamic Society is the political wing of the Al Eslah Society in Bahrain. A Sunni Islamic party, it is well organised through a network of mosques and seek to promote a conservative social agenda while not directly challenging the Kingdom's government. It become political society in 2006. Bahrain doesn't allow political parties by traditional definition. Before that it was merely a think tank and public affair society. Al Menbar won one seat in Bahrain's 2014 general election, down from two seats in 2010.

2006 Bahraini general election

General elections were held in Bahrain on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat Council of Representatives alongside municipal elections. There was a 72% turnout in the first round of polling. As expected by most observers, Shi'a and Sunni Islamists dominated the poll, winning a clean sweep in the first round of voting, while liberal and ex-communist MPs lost all their seats. Four candidates of the left-wing National Democratic Action made it through to second round run-off which was held on 2 December 2006.

The Al Asalah Islamic Society is the main Salafist political party in Bahrain, with four MPs after 2006's general election.

In the 2000s in Bahrain the government instituted political reforms and relaxed economic controls.

2010 Bahraini general election

General elections were held in Bahrain with the first-round on 23 October 2010, and the second round on 30 October. Al-Wefaq won a plurality. The election followed controversy amidst boycotts and arrests.

2002 Bahraini general election

General elections were held in Bahrain on 24 October 2002. They were the second general elections in the country's history, and the first since the dissolution of the National Assembly elected in 1973. The elections were also the first to be held under the 2002 Constitution, with voter turnout reported to be 53.2%.

Mohamed Yousif Rashid Albuflasa is a Bahraini poet, writer, former independent candidate for the Bahraini Parliament in the 2010 Parliamentary elections and a member of the Bahraini youth parliament. He belongs to the Albuflasa Bedouin clan. Formerly a Bahrain Defence Force officer, he is now employed at the court of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

References

  1. ↑ Kingdom of Bahrain: Election for Majlis al-Nuwab (Council of Representatives) IFES
  2. ↑ "Bahrain 'fully ready for elections'". Gulf News. 21 November 2014.
  3. 1 2 "A day of firsts in Bahrain elections". Gulf News. 21 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Justice Minister hails successful parliamentary and municipal polls". Bahrain News Agency. 29 November 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Bahrain gears up for run-off elections". Al Jazeera. 28 November 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Bahrain: 14 Shiite Candidates Win Seats After Runoff Elections". Associated Press. 30 November 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Bahrain's political societies lose big in polls". Gulf News. 1 December 2014.
  8. 1 2 Electoral system IPU
  9. ↑ See Demographics of Bahrain
  10. ↑ "Bahrain set for first election since 2011 uprising". Financial Times. 21 November 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 "Independents surge ahead in Bahrain's elections". Gulf News. 24 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Widespread unrest continues in Bahrain". Al Bawaba. 26 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Bahrain vote: The rise of the 'random unknowns'". Middle East Eye. 21 November 2014.
  14. ↑ Bahrain opposition groups announce elections boycott BBC News, 11 October 2014
  15. ↑ "Politics as usual: Boycott makes no difference for Bahrain's female candidates". James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. 29 November 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Bahrain elections – what happened to the political societies?". Citizens for Bahrain. 27 November 2014.
  17. ↑ "Polling centres across Bahrain have closed". Bahrain News Agency. 29 November 2014.
  18. ↑ "Bahrain convenes 'new look' parliament". Al Jazeera. 14 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  19. ↑ "Bahrain cabinet resigns". Gulf News. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  20. ↑ "Bahrain announces cabinet reshuffle". World Bulletin. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
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