Bahrain’s Shiites seek more control By JIM KRANE,
20 minutes ago
Bahrain’s third parliamentary elections have reinforced sectarian divisions between Shiites and Sunnis and witnessed a deepening Islamic conservatism in the U.S. ally, considered among the most liberal of Gulf Arab states.
Saturday’s run-off election for the lower house of parliament pitted the Shiite-led opposition against Sunnis backed by the tiny island kingdom’s government in a tight race.
Shiites are believed to comprise about two-thirds of Bahrain’s population.
“This could go either way,” said Ali Fakhro, a political scientist and former government minister.
Bahrain’s Shiites seek more control By JIM KRANE,
20 minutes ago
Bahrain’s third parliamentary elections have reinforced sectarian divisions between Shiites and Sunnis and witnessed a deepening Islamic conservatism in the U.S. ally, considered among the most liberal of Gulf Arab states.
Saturday’s run-off election for the lower house of parliament pitted the Shiite-led opposition against Sunnis backed by the tiny island kingdom’s government in a tight race.
Shiites are believed to comprise about two-thirds of Bahrain’s population.
“This could go either way,” said Ali Fakhro, a political scientist and former government minister.
The elections have witnessed a strong showing by the Shiite-led opposition, which boycotted the 2002 elections. Those polls followed 26 years of direct rule by the al-Khalifa royal family. Shiites have long complained they are squeezed out of power by the Sunni monarchy.
The Shiite al-Wefaq party won 16 of the house’s 40 seats in the first round of voting a week ago. It needs five of the 11 seats up for grabs Saturday to seal its majority.
Conservative Sunni Muslim candidates allied with the government took 13 seats in voting that some allege was marred by dirty tricks and corruption. Sunnis need at least eight more seats to take control.
But even if the Shiites win control of parliament’s lower house, the key levers of power still lie with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who appoints parliament’s upper chamber and can veto any legislation produced.
The first-round voting gave a sweeping victory to hard-liners from both of Islam’s chief branches, who bulldozed challenges by progressive candidates and women.
Only Latifa al-Gaoud, a pro-government woman candidate who ran unopposed, was able to win a seat to become the first-ever female parliamentarian in any Arab Gulf country.
Religious Shiites are expected to pick up one more seat — their 17th — in a contest that has two Shiites running against one another.
But Saturday’s most closely watched contests pit four liberal candidates versus hardline Sunnis of the Muslim Brotherhood or extremist Salafist movement. The al-Wefaq party has thrown its support behind the liberals.
Fakhro said the liberals were being hurt by an ideological association with the United States. The Bush administration’s deep unpopularity in the Gulf has strengthened the religious right, he said.
“This is part of the reason the Islamists are heading for control of Bahrain’s parliament,” Fakhro said. “The Americans say they are encouraging democratic politicians in the region, but the truth is they are harming them.”
Results are expected Sunday.
Meanwhile, a trio of progressive candidates have protested this week against what they described as “gross irregularities” in last Saturday’s voting that handed victories to pro-government candidates.
Female candidate Munira Fakhro — a cousin of the political scientist — announced a legal challenge to what she described as a fraudulent batch of votes that were instrumental in her Islamist opponent’s victory.
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