Reports

Bahrain: “Fragile” Constitutional Amendments, boosting up the Crisis, and not resonating locally and internationally

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Bahrain “Fragile” Constitutional Amendments, boosting up the Crisis, and not res	[Bahrain “Fragile” Constitutional Amendments, boosting up the Crisis, and not resonating locally and internationally - ENGLISH]	716 Kb
البحرين: تعديلات دستورية "هشة".. تكرس الأزمة..ولا تلقى صدى محليا ودوليا	[البحرين: تعديلات دستورية "هشة".. تكرس الأزمة..ولا تلقى صدى محليا ودوليا ]	430 Kb

 Introduction:In the constitutional amendments   ⁽¹⁾,approved by the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa in May 3, 2012, he kept his authorities almost absolute; accordingly he made the current crisis to continue, in consistence with of the opposition's demands to shrink the authorities of the King, reaching out to the principle "reigns but does not has rule".

In fact, since 1975, the continuation of the constitutional crisis prominently expressed the political dispute between the ruling Al Khalifa family in Bahrain, and the political opposition parties of various stripes⁽²⁾.

The rate of tension had increased with the winds of the “Arab spring" approaching to Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, and Libya. The tensions started by the people’s demands of a new constitution that is written by a public will through an elected constitutional assembly.  The regime considered it as a threat to its influence and power, therefore decided to crackdown on the protests⁽³⁾.

Observers raise questions about:

-The content of the constitutional amendments and the extent of the amendments’ approach to the opposition demands that are calling for political and constitutional reform;

-The problematical mechanism for approving the constitutional amendments;

-The Position of various local, regional and international parties towards the amendments,

-The ability of the constitutional amendments to take out the country from its devastating crisis since February 14, 2011.