First democratic experience in 30 years, Bahrainis elect their government

Some 650,000 Bahraini citizens who are eligible to vote will today cast their votes to choose their candidates for the new parliament which was reconstructed following 30 years of it being desolved, under a boycott by four remarkable political societies in the country.

The 174 candidates had intensified their campaigning activities in the last day of the election campaign -- which lasted for 15 days -- and had strong political campaigning and certain conflicts between the candidates whose campaign banners filled the Bahraini cities and towns.

However, observers expect that these elections will witness strong boycott by those who protest the constitutional amendments which divided the legislative authority in Bahrain between the appointed Shoura council and the elected parliament whose number tolled 80, into two halves, and did not give the elected parliament greater authority.

The parliamentary elections in Bahrain came in the context of the comprehensive political reforms which started by the king, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, since he assumed power in Bahrain in 1999. A policy which wins the support of most of the Bahraini people even those who are boycotting the elections.

In this regard, the political societies which decided to boycott today's elections stressed they will continue to support the reforms project, proposed by the king and that it will continue its role to enhancing national unity.