AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Over the past years, Bahrain has witnessed a series of economic and political promises, from financial reform and economic prosperity plans to job creation, housing improvement, and support for retirees.
However, critics say the rising cost of living, taxes, and utility bills, alongside persistent economic problems, show that these promises have failed to bring about any noticeable change in the general condition of society.
Economic Promises Remained on Paper
In the political arena as well, the Bahraini government has largely relied on security approaches since the 2011 events. Critics believe that the restriction of political space, the weakening of public participation, and the exclusion of segments of society from the decision-making process have resulted in nothing but increased dissatisfaction and further complicating the internal crisis.
Foreign Policy; From Normalization to Dependency
At the same time, Manama's foreign policy has also faced criticism, from normalization of relations with the Zionist regime to joining military coalitions led by foreign powers. Critics believe these approaches, rather than strengthening Bahrain's political independence, have increased its dependence on external actors and added to domestic challenges.
From the critics' perspective, Bahrain's way out of this situation lies not in testing old prescriptions and showy plans, but in rebuilding public trust, respecting the will of the people, expanding political participation, reducing economic pressures, and ensuring social justice, a path that could provide the groundwork for genuine stability and development in the country.
In such circumstances, critics believe relying on piecemeal measures and administrative solutions cannot resolve Bahrain's accumulated political and social crisis. In their view, as long as the roots of dissatisfaction—from restrictions on political participation and citizenship rights to economic pressures and discrimination—are not addressed, every new plan will merely change the appearance of the problem and will not create a way out of the current deadlock.
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