Bahrain opposition falls short of majority in polls

Opposition fails to win seats in second round
Bahraini men walk past an election poster in the capital Manama    
MANAMA (Reuters)

Bahrain’s secular opposition group Waad lost the two seats it contested in a second round of elections, leaving power firmly in the hands of the ruling Sunni dynasty, results showed on Sunday. Wefaq, the main opposition group representing the Gulf Arab country’s majority Shi’ites, had hoped victory by Waad would help the two groups win more power for the chamber, overshadowed by an upper house whose members are appointed by the king. Wefaq won 18 seats in the 40-seat house in the first round a week ago, but Saturday’s second round left pro-government Sunni parties and largely pro-government independents in a majority.

The country is ruled by the al-Khalifa dynasty, seen by its main allies Saudi Arabia and the United States as a bulwark against the regional influence of Shi’ite power Iran.

Bahrain’s majority Shi’ite population complains of discrimination in access to government jobs and housing, which the government denies, and want a bigger say in decision making.

It has not been able to capitalize on demographic strength in elections. Analysts and the opposition say the government apportions voting districts to prevent Wefaq winning a majority.

Election results published in an official statement on Sunday showed the two remaining candidates of Wefaq’s ally Waad both lost their races in the second round. A third Waad candidate lost in the first round.

The opposition had hoped a tie in seat numbers versus Sunni Islamists and pro-government independents would also help it launch more probes into corruption and extensive land ownership by the royal family.

Sunni Islamist groups Al Asalah and Al Menbar, both loosely allied with the government, won four more seats in the second round, held in nine districts in which no candidate had taken more than 50 percent of votes last week.
The two groups won a total of seven seats, less than the 15 they won in 2006 when agreements between both blocs’ candidates not to compete for voters helped them win more seats.

Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, saw a rise in sectarian tensions ahead of the vote after the government launched a broad crackdown against some Shi’ite opposition leaders and activists in August.

On Thursday it began the trial of 25 men accused of plotting to topple the Sunni-dominated political system with defendants saying they were tortured, an accusation officials denied/