MB offshoot in Bahrain secures 3 seats in parliament poll

 Saturday’s parliamentary second-round vote in Bahrain saw independent candidates widen their lead after they secured 3 more seats up from 10 in the first round giving Shiites and independents the two largest presences in the upcoming parliament.

During the last 2 parliaments Islamists had dominated the arena, enjoying unrivalled control over the 2002 parliament after an opposition boycott, and later with Sunni-Shiite Islamists sharing control of the 2006 parliament when the opposition ended the boycott.

Muslim Brotherhood offshoot Al-Menbar National Islamic Society, held seven seats in the previous parliament however only succeeded in securing three seats in the new parliament polls. The bloc leader, Abdullatif al-Sheikh, lost to an independent backed by al-Assalah Islamic Society, which represents the line of the Salafists.

Al-Assalah last half of its original eights seats however won votes with only three of the candidates they fielded.

According to experts independents, comprised of Sunni Islamists, businessmen and a woman, are not likely to act as a single bloc despite their large numbers due to the different backgrounds of the newly elected Parliament members.