Bahraini opposition have reservations on ministerial reshuffle

Despite their consensus welcome that a second woman has joined the government of Bahrain, Bahraini opposition and parliamentarians stressed that the ministerial reshuffle which was made on Friday lacks comprehensiveness, demanding consultations with the parliamentarians and political forces in the future before introducing any amendment.

Chairman of the major Islamic national reconciliation society, Ali Salman, said that the new ministerial reshuffle is a "ministerial rotation rather than a change," adding that only one new face has joined the new government, namely the minister of social affairs and labor."

Though he welcomed a second woman to have joined the governmental team, he stressed that the base to choose the ministers is merit rather than gender.

The new ministers in the Bahraini government took the constitutional oath before the King Hamad Bin Isa al-Khalifa on Saturday.

Excluding the prime minister Sheikh Khalifa Bin salman al-Khalifa, the new government included nine ministers from the royal family, in addition to 6 Sunni ministers and five Shiite ministers. This is, however, the first government reshuffle in Bahrain since 2002.