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Bahrain - News Archive

Bahrain names Shia deputy premier

Posted: 12/12/2006
The Sunni Muslim-ruled Gulf state of Bahrain appoints its first Shia Muslim deputy prime minister.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Shiite opposition party wins 16 seats

Posted: 11/25/2006
Provisional results from the November 25 parliamentary election in Bahrain delivered a win of 16 seats to the Shiite opposition party, Wefaq National Islamic Society. Of the elected Parliament's 40 seats, the opposition now holds 40% of the seats. Run-off elections for the seats that could not be decided in the first round are scheduled for December 2. Only one of the 18 women running in the election won a seat.

Source: ElectionGuide

Parliamentary elections slated for November 25

Posted: 09/28/2006
In a decree on September 28, Bahraini King Sheikh HAMAD announced November 25 as the date of the next elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the parliament's lower house. Municipal elections will also be held on November 25. Where required, a run-off election will be held on December 2. A decision to introduce electronic voting was called off on September 30 upon objections from opposition parties that the new method would disenfranchise the country's Shiite majority.

Source: ElectionGuide

Bahrain Schedules Second Round for Parliamentary Elections

Posted: 10/28/2002
For the first time Bahrain’s parliament was dissolved 27 years ago, voters were called to the polls to elect members of a newly established parliament.   Despite threats from influential Islamic political groups to boycott the elections, approximately 53.2% of Bahrain’s registered voters cast their ballots to select 40 members. Based on the results, 19 of the 40 seats were secured, but a second round has been scheduled on October 31 to determine the remaining 21 seats.  In addition to the 40 elected members, the parliament will have 40 members appointed by the king, and the relative power of the non-elected members was one reason for the boycott.

Source: ElectionGuide

Bahrain Criticized for its Division of Electoral Constituencies

Posted: 09/03/2002
With its legislative elections scheduled for October 24, the government of Bahrain was criticized for its division of electoral constituencies. According to a leading Shiite Muslim political group, the allocation favors the dominant Sunni Muslims. The government denied the allocation is unfair and claimed that the constituencies were divided in order to promote a “well-balanced” election. The October 24 election is part of a reform process promoted by the king to strengthen Bahrain's constitutional monarchy.

Source: ElectionGuide

Bahrain Announces Parliamentary Election Date of October 24

Posted: 02/15/2002
Emir Hamad bin Isa Khalifa announced that parliamentary elections will be held on October 24, 2002. This will be the first election in twenty-seven years in Bahrain. Voters will elect members of the Lower House parliament, while the King appoints representatives to the Upper House. Bahrain will become the only Persian Gulf nation allowing men and women to vote and contest elections.

Source: ElectionGuide


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