Bahrain: largest national agreement to boycott upcoming legislative and municipal elections

Al Wefaq National Islamic Society said the decision taken by the National Democratic Opposition Parties to boycott the upcoming legislative and municipal elections in Bahrain has met wide agreement with the elite national personalities and active societies and the Bahraini youths and people.

Independent, liberal, Islamic and national Bahraini parties and societies, based inside and outside Bahrain, have declared their position to boycott the elections that will be held on November 22nd, 2014.

This is the largest national agreement to boycott elections in Bahrain history, and thus reflects the size of the political crisis that has been strangling the country since 2011. This is an unprecedented crisis in Bahrain and the Middle East and has brought Bahrain to face wide international condemnations over its atrocious human rights violations that none of its neighbors have faced. The Authority’s insistence to hold on to the totalitarian rule has had a destructive effect on the country’s economy, politics and social life.

Al Wefaq, which had won 64% of votes in the 2006 and 2010 elections, is boycotting these elections along with the opposition parties, meaning the percentage of people boycotting is even higher.

Bahrain’s opposition parties are calling for political reforms which are considered to be of lower level looking at the demands of the other Arab movements. The opposition is demanding that Bahrain be a constitutional monarchy instead of an absolute one.

It is calling for the people to be the source of all powers by ending marginalization and giving the people the opportunity to choose their government and parliament. The opposition is also demanding that the parliament has full power over legislation and monitoring and to be formed through a transparent and impartial electoral process and fair electoral districts. On the other hand, the judiciary must be independent and fair, and security institutions must include all factions of the Bahraini society without foreigners and mercenaries.



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