Bahrain Shiite clout limited despite win
MANAMA: Bahrain's majority Shiites won a political voice in the Sunni-ruled kingdom for the first time in Saturday's parliamentary elections, but they are far from being able to wield real political power in the Gulf state. The Shiite Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Bahrain's largest opposition group, won 16 of the 17 seats it contested in the 40-seat lower house. But Wefaq's leader Sheikh Ali Salman downplayed the prospects of real change, pointing to a state-appointed 40 member upper assembly, the Shura council, which along with King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, must approve all legislation. "In terms of changing the law and the constitution, room for manoeuvre is extremely limited. It's good that he's (Salman) accepted this," newspaper editor Mansoor Al-Jamri said.
kuwaittimes.net
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