The National Assembly ( ar, المجلس الوطني البحريني) is the
legislative body of
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
. Parliament is
bicameral
Bicameralism is a type of legislature, one divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses, known as a bicameral legislature. Bicameralism is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate and vote as a single grou ...
, consisting of the 40 elected members of the
Council of Representatives
The Council of Representatives (''Majlis an-nuwab''), sometimes translated as the "Chamber of Deputies", is the name given to the lower house of the Bahraini National Assembly, the national legislative body of Bahrain.
The council was created ...
(the
lower house
A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...
) and the 40 royally-appointed members of the
Consultative Council (the
upper house
An upper house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house.''Bicameralism'' (1997) by George Tsebelis The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smalle ...
). The joint session of the National Assembly is chaired by the Speaker of the
Council of Representatives
The Council of Representatives (''Majlis an-nuwab''), sometimes translated as the "Chamber of Deputies", is the name given to the lower house of the Bahraini National Assembly, the national legislative body of Bahrain.
The council was created ...
, or by the Speaker of the
Consultative Council if the former is absent.
Latest election
National Assembly under the 1973 constitution
Under the
1973 Constitution (
Article 43), the National Assembly was a single chamber parliament consisting of forty members elected by "universal suffrage". However, the then
Amir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...
, Shaikh
Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah
Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (; 3 June 1931 – 6 March 1999) was the first emir of Bahrain from 1961 until his death in 1999.
Born in Jasra, Bahrain, he became emir upon the death of his father, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Early life and reig ...
decreed that women would not be considered as "universal suffrage" and were not allowed to vote in the 1973 parliamentary elections.
History of the National Assembly of Bahrain
The first ever National Assembly in Bahrain was elected in 1973 under the statutes of the first constitution which was promulgated of that same year. In 1975, the Assembly was dissolved by the then Emir Shaikh
Isa ibn Salman al-Khalifa
Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (; 3 June 1931 – 6 March 1999) was the first emir of Bahrain from 1961 until his death in 1999.
Born in Jasra, Bahrain, he became emir upon the death of his father, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Early life and reign
...
because it refused to pass the government sponsored
State Security Law of 1974
Following Bahrain's independence from the British in 1971, the government of Bahrain embarked on an extended period of political suppression under a 1974 State Security Law shortly after the adoption of the country's first formal Constitution i ...
. The Emir subsequently did not allow the Assembly to meet again or hold elections during his lifetime.
Members of the 1973 National Assembly
After the death of
Isa ibn Salman al-Khalifa
Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (; 3 June 1931 – 6 March 1999) was the first emir of Bahrain from 1961 until his death in 1999.
Born in Jasra, Bahrain, he became emir upon the death of his father, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Early life and reign
...
in 1999, his son Shaikh
Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah
Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa ( ar, حمد بن عيسى بن سلمان آل خليفة '; 28 January 1950) is King of Bahrain since 14 February 2002, after ruling as Emir of Bahrain from 6 March 1999.
He is the son of Isa bin Salman ...
, the new ruler of Bahrain promulgated the
Constitution of 2002. That same year elections were held for the
Council of Representatives
The Council of Representatives (''Majlis an-nuwab''), sometimes translated as the "Chamber of Deputies", is the name given to the lower house of the Bahraini National Assembly, the national legislative body of Bahrain.
The council was created ...
and he appointed the members for the
Consultative Council, forming the first
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
since 1975.
See also
*
Council of Representatives of Bahrain
The Council of Representatives (''Majlis an-nuwab''), sometimes translated as the "Chamber of Deputies", is the name given to the lower house of the Bahraini National Assembly, the national legislative body of Bahrain.
The council was created ...
*
Consultative Council of Bahrain
The Consultative Council (''Majlis al-shura''), also known as the Shura Council, is the upper house of the National Assembly, the main legislative body of Bahrain.
The Council comprises forty members appointed directly by the King of Bahrain. ...
*
History of Bahrain
Bahrain was a central location of the ancient Dilmun civilization. Bahrain's strategic location in the Arabian Gulf (Omar Ebn Elkhatab gulf) has brought rule and influence from mostly the Persians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Portuguese, ...
*
Politics of Bahrain
*
Constitution of Bahrain
Bahrain has had two constitutions in its modern history. The first one was promulgated in 1973, and the second one in 2002.
1973 Constitution
The constitution of 1973 was written shortly after Bahrain's independence from Britain in 1971. In 1972, ...
*
List of legislatures by country
This is a list of legislatures by country. A "legislature" is the generic name for the national parliaments and congresses that act as a plenary general assembly of representatives and that have the power to legislate. All entities included i ...
References
External links
Council of RepresentativesConsultative Council*
2002 Constitution: Section 3 The Legislative Authority National Assembly
*
1973 Constitution: Chapter II Legislative Power
{{Asia topic, Parliament of
1973 establishments in Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
Government of Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...