Bahrainis excited ahead of Saturday's poll

MANAMA: There is excitement and tension in the air as Bahrain goes to the polls Saturday.

This is the third time in a decade that the Gulf Arab country, a mere 25 km away from the Saudi city of Alkhobar, is holding elections for the lower house of Parliament. The elections, first held in 2002, were part of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa's wide-ranging reforms involving a new constitution.

Huge billboards and colorful posters greet you as you enter the country from the causeway that links Saudi Arabia and Bahrain over the rolling Gulf waters. Many posters had pictures of women candidates as well. Bahrain has a population of about 1 million, of whom about half are expatriate workers. Of the native Bahrainis, men and women over the age of 20 can vote. Around 300,000 registered voters will be able to cast their vote on Saturday for the Majlis Al-Nuwab, or the Council of Representatives. There are 140 candidates vying for 40 seats in the lower house, representing constituencies in the country's eight governorates.

Five of them, including independents Abdulla Al-Dossary, Latifa Al-Gaoud and Khamis Al-Rumaihi, Abdul Jalil Khalil of Bahrain's largest poll grouping Al-Wefaq and Adel Al-Ma'awada, who is a lawmaker for Al-Asalah, have been elected unopposed from their constituencies. To win, candidates must secure 50 percent or more of the total votes in the constituency they are hoping to represent. In the last election, which saw a 72 percent turnout, Al-Wefaq won 17 seats, Al-Asalah took eight seats and Minbar bagged seven. The rest of the seats were won by Mustaqbal and independents. Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa has requested his countrymen and women to come out in force on Saturday to vote for their favorite candidates. "These elections represent a defining moment and a crucial opportunity to reassert the sense of national belonging," he said. "Taking part in elections is your national duty," he said. "Bahrain's present and future require more efforts to ensure achievements in all sectors." Paying tribute to King Hamad, he said: "Bahrain's fledgling democratic experience is coming of age, gaining maturity and depth ... Bahrain will never become a launchpad for any subversive attempts to destabilize the region." A large number of foreign journalists and international poll monitors have trooped into the country. Most of the journalists are being hosted by the Bahraini Ministry of Information.

Newspapers are full of stories about the elections. A report in Thursday's Daily Tribune estimated that candidates have so far spent 25 million Bahraini dinars on campaigning. It quoted economic researcher and former parliamentarian Abdul Nabi Salman as saying that the expected fierce competition in this year's election race has meant that some candidates have spent a lot more than usual on their campaigns.

Electoral commission chief Abdullah Al Buainain said: "We are determined that the elections should be transparent" adding that polling stations would be monitored by 379 observers from Bahraini nongovernmental organizations.

As to which way the results will go, ordinary Bahrainis who spoke to Arab News feel Al-Wefaq has an edge. "They won handsomely in the 2006 elections and are sure to win many seats this time," said schoolteacher Ibrahim Awali. "However, I cannot hazard a guess on the exact number. Even if they maintain their 2006 tally, which was 17 out of 40, it will be a big achievement for them." However, writer Mohannad Abu Ammar said Al-Asalah and Minbar would steal the show this time. "Their candidates have run their campaigns very effectively and have used the new media very well. They have learned a lot from their participation in the 2006 elections."