Manama: The Progressive Democratic Menbar, one of the major liberal societies in Bahrain, is set to elect the leader who will replace the incumbent secretary-general.
Under the bylaws of the society, the mandate of the secretary general is limited to two terms and a replacement has to be found for Dr. Hassan Madan, a well-known cultural figure in Bahrain.
This weekend, the society adherents will cast ballots to choose 25 members to its central committee who will elect the politburo and the new secretary general.
Abdul Nabi Salman, a leading figure who was elected to the lower chamber of the bicameral parliament in 2002, is seen as one of the top contenders to take over from Hassan Madan.
However, Abdul Nabi, who was the assistant secretary-general in the last term, is not yet assured of winning, particularly that several figures with strong records within the society, have signed up for the central committee election.
The Progressive Democratic Menbar, launched in 2002, had three lawmakers in the 2002-2006 parliament term, including MP Abdul Hadi Marhoon, who served as the Deputy Speaker. The society failed to win seats in 2006 and 2010 after its chances were dwindled by religious forces.
Hassan Madan, 56, spent years in the UAE and has written extensively about his experiences in columns and books.
