In the parliamentary elections in Bahrain for many parties to come. However, they represented politically only in a limited range of products. Because the two major opposition parties are not allowed to compete.
40 seats and around 350 candidates: At the weekend the citizens of Bahrain have the choice of who they want to represent them during the coming legislative period in Parliament. In addition, the approximately 365,000 choice votes entitled to the cast of the aldermen. The seats in the major municipalities, 75 candidates are applying for.
Despite these Figures, the political offer is valid critics as restricted. Although there is a lack of candidates, but also a serious political Alternative. Because two of the major opposition parties, the Kingdom, the Shiite Al-Wefaq and the secular “democratic Union for the Fatherland” (Waad), you are not allowed to compete. Representatives of both parties called on their supporters to boycott the elections.
Professions you can organizations on international human rights. The coming election would take place in a “repressive political environment”, – stated in a communication of “Human Rights Watch”. “Bahrain’s allies should encourage the government to take all necessary measures to reform those laws that restrict the freedom of speech and Assembly. You should also encourage the government arrested opposition politicians.”
Never-ending protests: scene from Manama, 2016
Consequences of the revolution of the year, 2001
The current tensions date back to the Arab revolution of 2011. At that time, many, especially Shia citizens, were also held in Bahrain on the road. The Sunni Royal house, so your accusation that operate in Parts of the religiously motivated politics. The Sunnis would be disadvantaged in public life, such as in the allocation of Posts in the Public service. Shiites, so your statement would be preferred in the setting.
The protests were put down with the help of the allies of Saudi Arabia. They are not cracks but. In the result, hundreds of opposition members have been arrested, many have been deprived of the nationality.
In response, parts of the Opposition had boycotted already the elections of the year 2014. These were a “Farce”, they explained. In response to the ongoing protests to ban a court in 2016, the Wefaq party. The allegation was that some of their members supported terrorism, instigated the violence and called for demonstrations, the beneficiary, in turn, a sectarian divide in the country. The leader of the Wefaq party, Sheikh Ali Salman, was sentenced on charges of spying for the neighbouring Qatar to a life-long imprisonment.
In June 2017 the Waad was prohibited party. She was also accused of supporting terrorism. Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International condemned the ban.
Allegation of sham elections
Overall, it was the political culture of the country is currently bad, says Ahmed al-Wadaa, the Director of the “Bahraini Institute for democratic rights”. “The situation of human rights is currently going through one of its darkest phases,” said al-Wadaa in an interview with DW. In the case of the ballot, there were sham elections in an environment of worse human rights violations take place.
Life in prison: Sheikh Ali Salman, leader of Wefaq party
Omar al-Hassan, Director of the “Gulf centre for Strategic Studies”, with headquarters in London and offices in Bahrain, contradicts this assessment. “Such a description is inaccurate,” said al-Hassan in an interview with DW. Sunnis and Shiites have lived for centuries together in harmony. “The current tensions in the society go back to the activities of Iran”.
Similarly, it also looks Walid Sabri, a columnist of the “Al Watan”, one of the largest daily Newspapers in Bahrain. “The Bahrainis will continue their course in the direction of democracy, citizens ‘rights and freedoms”, writes Sabri in the Friday edition of the sheet. “You will listen to those destructive voices that call for a Boycott of the elections, no attention – that voice will be supported not because of Iran.”
“The fairest elections in the entire Region,”
Human rights advocates see it differently. “The Opposition can’t participate in these elections,” says Ahmed al-Wadaa. “Because that would support the dictatorship of the Erbherrschaft only. With democratic representation, this has nothing to do with it.” The result, believes al-Hassan, were already there. “Thus, the elections are nothing more than a formal confirmation of the dictatorship.”
Reformist or rigorously? King Khalifa of Bahrain
This, too, Omar al-Hassan. The elections would be smooth and without problems run, he expects. It would show that these were “the fairest elections in the entire Region”.
Bahraini critics such as Ahmed al-Wadaa does not only criticize the human rights Situation. Uncomfortable, in particular, from their point of view to close Bahrain’s neighbour Saudi Arabia is also in the face of external political circumstances. It is his opinion, disastrous for the country. Since then, the leadership in Riyadh, have stood the in Manama, in the case of the military against the protests of the year 2011, was equal to the influence of Saudi Arabia on Bahrain significantly. “Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia, including its economy,” al-Wadaa.