Gulf | Bahrain
Parliament faces uncertain future after bitter feuding between blocs
Bahrain's parliament faces an uncertain future after bitter feuding between various political blocs on Tuesday led to the postponement of the session for the third time and threatened a paralysis of the legislative body.
- By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 20:19 March 11, 2008
Manama: Bahrain's parliament faces an uncertain future after bitter feuding between various political blocs on Tuesday led to the postponement of the session for the third time and threatened a paralysis of the legislative body.
The session was concluded a few minutes after it started following a loud protest by MPs representing Al Wefaq against a decision by the speaker to ignore their proposal to quiz state minister for cabinet affairs Shaikh Ahmad Bin Atiyatallah Al Khalifa.
The proposal to grill the minister whom Al Wefaq accuses of financial mismanagement and abuses had waded into controversy after an alliance of MPs representing Al Asala, the democratic Menbar and the Independents had blocked it twice on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.
The session on Tuesday descended into chaos shortly after speaker Khalifa Al Dhahrani read out the agenda that did not include the questioning of Shaikh Ahmad.
MPs from Al Wefaq rejected it and shouted that the speaker was abusing his position and ignoring their call to have the minister questioned. Under pressure to explain his position, Al Dhahrani retorted that the only way to resolve the stalemate was to have all the MPs decide on whether to go ahead with it, and not just the parliament's bureau commission.
Opposition
But Al Wefaq, with only 17 of the 40 seats in the lower house and unable to secure a majority in a direct vote, vehemently opposed the call.
In the ensuing loud match of name-calling between the MPs who wanted the quizzing of the minister and those who opposed it, Al Dhahrani tried to bring the session to order, but his efforts failed.
"You have no right to block the quizzing of the minister. You want us to respect the Council of Representatives, but you have shown no respect to the MPs," MPs from Al Wefaq shouted at Al Dhahrani who suspended the session for 30 minutes.
However, the attempt to resume the session failed after Al Wefaq insisted on including the quizzing of Shaikh Ahmad in the debate, prompting Asala, Islamic Menbar, Independent blocs and MPs to leave the hall and for the speaker to bring an end to the session.
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