Bahraini.TV

Bahrain’s women work to win more parliamentary seats

Just eight women ran in Bahrain’s first general election in 2002, with the number increasing to 18 four years later. Despite a handful of close races in 2006, only one woman managed to secure a seat in the country’s fledgling parliament, after she ran unopposed.

But if May al Otaibi and others have anything to do with it, female candidates will have a good chance during Bahrain’s next general election slated for November 2010.

8 women seeking elections

Eight Bahraini women have announced they intend to contest next year’s parliamentary and municipal elections, representing six per cent of total candidates.
Four of the candidates have definitely made up their minds to stand – and the remaining four are considered potential candidates.
Three are from the Muharraq governorate. Dr Aneesa Fakhro is seeking a parliamentary seat [...]

Scrap electoral constituencies urges lawyer

A lawyer demanded in court yesterday that Bahrain’s electoral constituencies be scrapped. Abdulla Al Shamlawi is representing 31-year-old voter Matar Ibrahim Al Matar, who claims unfair constituency boundaries robbed his candidate of a parliamentary seat in the 2006 national elections.
He has filed suit in the High Civil Administration Court, seeking the abolition of a decree [...]

One man, one vote principle ‘crucial’

A REPORT released yesterday criticised Bahrain’s national elections for failing to provide all voters with an equal voice. Large differences in size between constituencies meant the municipal and parliamentary elections were missing the “one man, one vote” principle, according to the report.
It was compiled by election monitors from the Bahrain Transparency Society and the Bahrain [...]

Court rejects recount plea

Bahrain’s highest court threw out yesterday a demand for a recount by a parliamentary candidate who official figures state only got four votes.
Isa Al Harbi, who ran for the Southern Governorate’s constituency two, says he was not disputing that the contest was won by his rival Hamad Al Muhannadi, but he raised the case only [...]

Votes fabricated claims candidate

Defeated parliamentary candidate Dr Muneera Fakhro has filed a case claiming that winner Dr Salah Ali received illegal votes through Bahrain’s 10 general polling stations, it was announced yesterday.
She claims that the difference was so dramatic that some votes may have been fabricated.
Dr Fakhro received 331 votes through the open stations versus 1,191 for Dr [...]

A vote of confidence

Bahrainis delivered a massive vote of confidence in their democracy yesterday, with an estimated 72 per cent turnout for the parliamentary and municipal council elections. This was 18pc up on the turnout for elections in 2002, said High Elections Committee executive director Wael Buallay, shortly after polling stations closed.
Information Minister Dr Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar described [...]

Bahrainis flock to polls after tense campaign

By Mohammed Abbas
Reuters
Saturday, November 25, 2006; 5:25 AM
MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrainis flocked to the polls in the small Gulf state’s national elections on Saturday, amid tension between the government and the Shi’ite Muslim opposition which boycotted the vote in the pro-Western kingdom in 2002.
The main opposition group has warned the Sunni-led authorities that any attempt [...]

Islamic groups bank on voters to take control of parliament

Bahrainis will go to the polls today to elect their parliamentary and municipal representatives in a tensely-fought process between Islamic groups.
In the Council of Representatives elections, analysts estimate the opposition parties could win as much as half the number of the 40 seats. Others say the opposition, led by Al Wefaq Islamic Society, might find [...]

Stage set to change face of Bahrain political scene

Tomorrow’s Parliamentary elections are widely expected to change the face of Bahrain’s politics as the opposition is set to win the majority of seats of the Council of Representatives, controlled for the past four years by a strong pro-government block.
However, a victory by the opposition, many in this open-minded and multicultural state fear, may deal [...]

Sectarian tension overshadows Bahrain election

By William Wallis in Manama
Financial Times, Published: November 24 2006 02:00
Bahrain’s main Shia opposition group, el Wefaq National Islamic Society, is portraying Friday’s parliamentary elections as a last chance to promote peaceful dialogue on the Gulf kingdom’s political and economic future.
To cheers and chanting from thousands of supporters, Sheikh Ali Salman, the youthful leader of [...]

Voting Countdown

The final days to Bahrain’s elections are counting down fast, as the campaigns of rival candidates tighten up ahead of the ballot. The elections have received praise and warnings, with much at stake when the country’s citizens go to the polls on November 25.
The elections are the first for the lower house of parliament since [...]

E-voting put on hold till 2010

In a move intended to make the electoral process in the Kingdom stronger and transparent, the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Head of Central Informatics Organisation, Shaikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah Al Khalifa, yesterday said a recommendation not to use the e-voting system in the coming elections had been forwarded to the executive director [...]

Polling dates announced

Bahrain will hold its parliamentary and municipal elections on November 25.
Bahrainis hoping to enter the 40-member Chamber of Deputies can register their candidacy between October 12 and 16, according to a royal decree issued by His Majesty King Hamad.
Meanwhile, candidates for the municipal elections can register between October 20 and 24, according to a decree [...]

Al Wefaq campaigns against e-voting

Bahrain’s biggest political society is campaigning against electronic voting in the municipal and parliamentary elections being held later in the year.
E-voting is not as safe as the traditional ballot box method, says Al Wefaq National Islamic Society.
Dangers include hacking, fraud and or a total breakdown of the system on polling day, says Al Wefaq information [...]