Elections end; Islamists gains, women active participation in Bahraini politics
Bahrain, Politics, 11/1/2002

By completing the second round of elections in Bahrain, following the first elections since three decades in the country, the elections marked a remarkable progress for the Islamic trends which took 24 seats out of 40 distributed between the Sunni Islamic societies (20 seats ) and the Shiite (4 seats ).

Al-Asala society which is "classified as extremist" won eight seats which the second round of the elections claimed to have five seats, while the two al-Islah (reforms ) and Shoura councils won 12 seats. The other seats were distributed between the independents and the "national" societies such as al-Mithaq society which is considered as belonging to the ruling authority.

The second round of the elections were held in "cold atmosphere" at the media and citizen's level. The rate of participation in the first session ( was 53% ) recorded a high rate, ( in line with international criterion and standards ), according to the Bahraini authorities and this was so despite the fact that four main political societies called for boycotting the elections. This very rate was reduced in the second round of the elections.

What is remarkable in these elections is that despite the fact that no woman had won, the Bahraini women registered the first actual participation in the political life in the Arab Gulf region, in a country unique among the other Gulf states towards its ethnic diversity ( Sunni, Shiite and very small Christian and Jewish minorities.)

Previous Stories:
  King of Bahrain meets with Burns, Mayors   (10/30/2002)
  Mubarak meets with Bahrain's crown prince   (10/28/2002)
  Bahrain's prime minister and the Iraqi issue   (10/28/2002)
  Islamists in Bahrain win majority of parliamentary seats   (10/26/2002)
  First Bahraini parliament, turn up exceeds 53%, Islamists, traders win   (10/25/2002)
  First democratic experience in 30 years, Bahrainis elect their parliament   (10/24/2002)

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