After the 1 December second-round run-off of the Bahrain elections a succession of impressively qualified female campaigners have stormed their way into Parliament. Women have doubled the size of their representation to six deputies (out of 40 total seats); despite all female members of the 2014 Parliament failing keep their positions. This can largely be credited to the strength of the campaigns of these candidates; notably women’s activist Fawzia Zainal, who has won her seat on the first attempt; along with journalist Zainab Abdulamir and psychologist Dr. Masooma Abdulrahim – all of whom also distinguished themselves in the 2014 elections contest.
Fatima Abbas won her seat outright in the first round after impressing local constituents with her performance as their municipal councilor. Psychologist and “International Peace Ambassador” Sawsan Kamal deserves congratulations for making such an impressive showing on her first attempt in competing for political office. A record 42 women were originally registered to compete in the 2018 elections; setting women up for an even stronger showing in 2022!
All change for Bahrain’s MPs
The 2014 elections were particularly brutal for Bahraini MPs, with only a few figures surviving from the previous Parliament, notably Adel al-Asoumi, Ali al-Atish, Isa al-Kooheji, Ahmed al-Mulla, Abdulhalim Murad, Abbas al-Madhi, Mohammed al-Ammadi, Abdulrahman Bumjaid and Ahmed Qarratah.
Nevertheless, the 2018 elections sent an even more decisive message from Bahrainis regarding their frustrations at the performance of existing MPs. In the first round, Adel al-Asoomi (1st Capital) and Isa al-Kooheji (4th Muharraq) once again proved their local popularity by winning their seats outright. The situation wasn’t so favourable for almost any other MPs. MP Rua al-Haiki was destroyed in the first round with only 52 votes and many of her colleagues performed similarly badly.
2014 MPs Ali al-Atish (6th Capital) and Mohammed al-Ammadi (10th Northern) came top in round one, but were decisively beaten in round two. Meanwhile 2014 MPs Abdulrahman Bumjaid, Nasser al-Qaseer, Abdulrahman Bu-Ali (8th Muharraq), Ibrahim al-Hammadi (2nd Muharraq), Mohammed al-Ahmed (2nd Southern) and Mohammed al-Maarifi (4th Southern) all limped into second place and were defeated with relative ease in the second round. Other than MP Ghazi al-Rahmah, who won in 4th Northern, every incumbent MP who entered the second round contest was ousted. This leaves only three 2014 incumbent MPs making it back into Parliament.
However, a number of MPs from former Parliaments have returned: Asalah former MP Ali Ahmed al-Zayed is back, along with 2010 entrant Isa al-Qadhi. Yousif Zainal and Abdulnabi Salman have meanwhile returned from the 2002 Parliament. Thus in total there are seven figures entering the 2018 Parliament with previous parliamentary experience.
Municipal councilors storm Parliament
Municipal councilors have historically tended to perform respectably in Bahraini elections, both because of their experience in competing for municipal office and because of their record of public service, although Muhsin al-Bakri was a rare example in 2014 of a new MP who won his seat based on his record as a municipal councilor. In 2018 seven municipal councilors will be entering Parliament, notably; head of the Northern Governorate Municipal Council, Mohammed Buhamood (11th Northern); and head of the Southern Municipal Council, Ahmed al-Ansari (3rd Southern). Along with Fatima Abbas (2nd Northern), Yousif al-Dhawadi (8th Muharraq), Khalid Bu-Anq (5th Muharraq), Bader al-Dossary (9th Southern), and Abdullah al-Dossary (3rd Northern).
There was arguably a general perception among Bahrainis that the 2014 Parliament contained too many lightweight figures who gained their seats without a specific record of public service or technocratic credentials. Voting patterns in 2018 appear to be compensating for this, along with other public figures; Chamber of Commerce member Ahmed al-Saloom (5th Capital), and civil servant Bassim al-Maliki (10th Northern).
Other notable professional figures include media personality Ammar Al Bannai (4th Capital), psychologist Dr. Masooma Abdulrahim (6th Capital), and businessman Ahmed al-Damistani (7th Northern).
The youth dominate Muharraq
Stereotypical Muharraq MPs in previous parliaments have tended to be elderly men with long beards. Thus, it is remarkable to see a succession of younger candidates winning in the majority of Muharraq constituencies, often on a specifically pro-youth platform. This indicates a high proportion of young people turning out to vote. Social media activist Hamad al-Kooheji distinguished himself in 1st Muharraq. Ibrahim al-Nafeei ousted sitting MP Ibrahim al-Hammadi in 2nd Muharraq. Mohammed al-Abbasi won with relative ease in 3rd Muharraq. Ammar Qambar, son of a former MP, beat Asalah’s Ali al-Muqla in 7th Muharraq; and young municipal councilor Yousif al-Dhawadi also ousted MP Abdulrahman Bu-Ali in 8th Muharraq.
Most of the six female candidates are younger figures. Elsewhere, young MP Ghazi Al Rahmah retained his 4th Northern seat; son of the Education Minister, Ali al-Noaimi, will be the MP for 7th Southern. Young Chamber of Commerce member Ahmed al-Saloom is also a notable addition in 5th Capital.
Salafist society triumphant in Southern Governorate
Salafist society Al-Asalah has increased its parliamentary membership from two to three MPs, with three prominent and respected figures: former MP Ali Ahmed Zayed (4th Southern); head of the Southern Governorate Municipal Council Ahmed al-Ansari (3rd Southern) and Abdulrazzaq Hattab (6th Southern).
This result could be interpreted as an expectation from Southern Governorate voters that these figures will energetically pursue their distinguished records of public service for improving living standards; and not focus narrowly on a religious agenda. Asalah’s former MP Ali al-Muqla (7th Muharraq) focused on ideological issues and was defeated in the first round. Meanwhile in 3rd Southern Abdulhalim al-Murad (Parliament second-deputy) during the 2014 Parliament focused primarily on local concerns. When Murad stepped down in 2018, his Asalah successor Ahmed al-Ansari won easily in the first round, based on his prominent municipal record.
In previous parliaments Al-Asalah have been able to ally themselves with like-minded independent clerical figures or allies from other Sunni societies. With other clerical candidates having been defeated in 2018, Al-Asalah can’t really claim to have a public mandate, nor a wide enough parliamentary coalition to actively pursue an ideological agenda. This won’t necessarily stop them from trying. In the 2014 Parliament Al-Asalah could often count on support from a wider swathe of conservative MPs on issues like Islamic banking, alcohol and social issues. We can expect to see this again in the coming Parliament.
Long-standing Al-Minbar al-Islami MP, Mohammed al-Ammadi was defeated in these elections, meaning that for the first time Al-Minbar (traditionally affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood) will not be represented in Parliament. Abdullah al-Dhawadi for the first time has won a seat for the Sunni loyalist National Unity Gathering (NUG) society. We will have to wait and see how Dhawadi aligns himself in Parliament, although there is little hint of an inclination towards supporting a specifically Islamist agenda.
Strong showing for Progressive Tribune Society
Previous rounds of elections have tended to produce a weak showing from candidates representing progressive, nationalist or left-wing societies. This is why it was refreshing to see two candidates from the Progressive Tribune Society (Al-Minbar al-Taqaddumi) making it into parliament; Abdulnabi Salman and Sayed Falah Hashim (6th Northern, 5th Northern). The Tribune’s Eman Showaiter (10th Capital) made it into the second round.
It may be that the Democratic Tribune has benefitted from a loosening of the boycott and the absence of other opposition societies from the contest. The society broke away from other opposition societies in 2014 to return to the political process. Abdulnabi Salman won an impressive 2,244 first-round votes in a constituency where the boycott had been strong in 2014.
Second round results for all 40 constituencies
Capital Governorate
1st Capital: First-round winner Adel al-Asoomi (incumbent MP)
2nd Capital: Sawsan Kamal (1894) vs. Faisal Bin-Rajab (788)
3rd Capital: Mahdi Sharar (830) vs. Mamdouh al-Saleh (businessman – 906)
4th Capital: Ammar Al Bannai (journalist – 2490) vs. Abdulrahman Bumjaid (incumbent MP – 1265)
5th Capital: Ahmed al-Saloom (Chamber of Commerce member – 1891) vs. Nasser al-Qaseer (incumbent MP – 843)
6th Capital: Ali al-Atish (Rabitah society, incumbent MP – 1806) vs. Dr. Masooma Abdulrahim (psychologist – 2137)
7th Capital: Zainab Abdulamir (3092) vs. Afaf al-Mousawi (1644)
8th Capital: Fadhel Abbas (1085) vs. Sayed Mohammed Ashoor (639)
9th Capital: Ammar Hussain al-Mukhtar (1769) vs. Dr. Zahra Haram (616)
10th Capital: Ali Ishaqi (3279) vs. Eman Showaiter (Progressive Democratic Tribune – 2584)
Muharraq Governorate
1st Muharraq: Hamad al-Kooheji (4171) vs. Mohammed al-Hussaini (cleric – 3573)
2nd Muharraq: Ibrahim al-Nafeei (2932) vs. Ibrahim al-Hammadi (incumbent MP – 2571)
3rd Muharraq: Mohammed al-Abbasi (3096) vs. Mohammed Jassim al-Olaiwi (2184)
4th Muharraq: First round winner Isa al-Kooheji (incumbent MP)
5th Muharraq: Mahmood al-Mahmood (former MP – 3348) vs. Khalid Bu-Anq (municipal councilor – 4917)
6th Muharraq: First round winner Hisham al-Asheeri
7th Muharraq: Ammar Qambar (7317) vs. Yousif Abdulghaffar (academic – 2944)
8th Muharraq: Yousif al-Dhawadi (municipal councilor – 5246) vs. Abdulrahman Bu-Ali (incumbent MP – 3731)
Northern Governorate
1st Northern: Kaltham al-Haiki (838) vs. Habib Shabib (588)
2nd Northern: First round winner Fatima Abbas al-Qatari (municipal councilor)
3rd Northern: Abdullah al-Dossary (municipal councilor – 2409) vs. Hafedh al-Dossary (1518)
4th Northern: Ghazi Al Rahmah (incumbent MP – 2456) vs. Nidhal al-Shoumali (1962)
5th Northern: Ahmed Yousif Ghuloom (1319) vs. Sayed Falah Hashem (Progressive Democratic Tribune – 1417)
6th Northern: First round winner Abdulnabi Salman (Progressive Democratic Tribune, former MP)
7th Northern: Munir Soroor (training consultant – 1386) vs. Ahmed al-Damistani (businessman – 1508)
8th Northern: Abdullah al-Dhawadi (NUG society – 4166) vs. Abdulrahman al-Najdi (2354)
9th Northern: Abbas al-Omani (2475) vs. Yousif Zainal (former MP – 3186)
10th Northern: Mohammed al-Ammadi (Minbar society, incumbent MP – 3687) vs. Bassem al-Maliki (civil servant – 4938)
11th Northern: Mohammed Buhamood (head of the Northern Governorate Municipal Council – 3731) Vs Ali al-Fadhli (2528)
12th Northern: Mahmood al-Bahrani (2590) vs. Maryam Madan (1995)
Southern Governorate
1st Southern: Ahmed al-Amer (2871) vs Nasreen Maarouf (2173)
2nd Southern: Isa al-Qadhi (former MP – 3312) vs Mohammed al-Ahmed (incumbent MP – 1826)
3rd Southern: First round winner Ahmed al-Ansari (Asalah society, head of Southern Governorate Municipal Council)
4th Southern: Ali Ahmed Zayed (Asalah society, former MP – 4312) Vs Mohammed al-Maarifi (incumbent MP – 3387)
5th Southern: First round winner Fawzia Zainal
6th Southern: Abdulrazzaq Hattab (Asalah society – 3711) vs. Mohammed Darwish (Mithaq society – 2598)
7th Southern: Ali al-Noaimi (3267) vs. Ahmed al-Tamimi (2919)
8th Southern: First round winner Mohammed al-Sisi
9th Southern: Nawar al-Mutawwa (1717) vs. Bader al-Dossary (municipal councilor – 2288)
10th Southern: First round winner Isa al-Dossary