Religious right 'will win legislative elections'

Manama: For parliament hopeful Hamad Al Harmi there is no doubt that the religious right will win the legislative elections on Saturday.

"We will have a Chamber of Deputies dominated by conservative Sunni and Shiite groups that are in fact an extension of the Islamic welfare societies with a long history of close contact with the people," Al Harmi said in a statement to the press.

"The political wing is actually drawing on the compassion generated by the deep-rooted benevolent work of the religious branch."

Religion has in the run-up to the elections assumed an exceptionally significant role that, according to analysts, surpasses its importance in the 2002 elections, a fact that has alarmed liberal intellectuals and left-leaning candidates.

Al Wefaq, Bahrain's largest society, drew on the support of leading members of the Islamic Scholars Council to end its boycott of parliamentary elections, without serious clashes with its supporters who have for years defended the option of not taking part in parliamentary polls.

And when the society wanted to win the hearts and minds of eligible voters, the society again resorted to the Shiite scholars who proclaimed that Al Wefaq was the 'Bloc of the Believers' and deserved the votes of all God-fearing people.

The statement drew immediate fire from other candidates and Al Wefaq's allies, but widely accepted by voters who venerate the religious establishment.

Sunni societies have also used religion to promote their candidates and attack their contenders as unashamedly non-religious.

In Eisa Town and Riffa, short text messages called for the boycott of women candidates for religious reasons and, in Manama, pamphlets called for defeating candidates accused of links with atheism, bars and nightclubs.

But Al Harmi said the abuse of voters' faith and propensity for religious action would backfire after the formation of the new parliament.

"Bahrainis may now be confused by the religion-politics combination imposed by several societies, but I am sure that they will soon discover the vast difference between the religious figure and the political character of the deputies," he said.

Outgoing Islamists said the religious composition of the 2002-2006 Chamber of Deputies was "a normal reflection of the Bahraini society where religion plays a vital role".