Description of Electoral System:

 (Courtesy of IFES elction guide)

The monarchy is hereditary. In the Shura Council 40 members are appointed by the monarch. In the House of Deputies 40 members are elected by direct vote to serve 4-year terms.

Electoral Systems Snapshot

(Courtesy of International IDEA)

*Click on links for definitions

WANT MORE ELECTION RELATED STATS FOR ALGERIA? Go to "election databases" on the left-hand menu of this page OR comparative data on the right-hand menu and choose your area of interest.

Most recent election

 
Bahrain held parliamentary elections on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, as well as municipal elections. There was a 72% turnout in the first round of polling. As expected by most observers Shia and Sunni Islamists dominated the poll, winning a clean sweep in the first round of voting, while liberal and ex-communist MPs lost all their seats. Four candidates of the left-wing National Democratic Action (also known as Wa'ad) made it through to second round run-off which was held on December 2, 2006.

The election was preceded by a major political realignment that saw the four opposition parties that boycotted 2002's election agree to take part in the political process. The former alliance consists of Bahrain's main Shia Islamist party, Al Wefaq, the radical Shia Islamist, Al Amal, Leftist Waad and the former Baathists. To meet the challenge posed by Al Wefaq, the two main Sunni Islamist parties, the salafist Asalah and the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Al-Menbar Islamic Society, agreed to form a coalition