Bahrain's Leadership: Who's Who And What They Do

The Kingdom of Bahrain has been ruled by the House of Khalifa since 1783. The current king is Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who ascended the throne in 2002 after declaring Bahrain a kingdom and proclaiming himself king. The king is the head of state and enjoys wide-ranging powers, including appointing the prime minister. The current prime minister is Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who succeeded his great-uncle, Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, upon his death in 2020.

Who is the King of Bahrain?

The current King of Bahrain is Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, also known as Sheikh Hamad. He has been the head of state since 1999, when he succeeded his father, Sheikh Isa, as the Emir of Bahrain. In 2002, he changed his title from Emir to King when Bahrain became a kingdom.

The House of Khalifa has been the ruling family of Bahrain since 1783. The King is the hereditary head of state and enjoys wide-ranging powers, including the ability to appoint the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, as well as holding supreme command over the Defence Force. The current Prime Minister is Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who is also the King's son.

The King also chairs the Higher Judicial Council, appoints the upper house of Parliament, and can dissolve the elected lower house. The parliament is a bicameral legislature, with the Council of Representatives elected by universal suffrage, and the Consultative Council (or Shura Council) appointed directly by the King.

The Al Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain since the late 1700s, and the current King is a strong proponent of democratic reform. In 2002, he introduced a new set of democratic reforms, including a promise to return to constitutional rule and granting equal power to both legislative houses.

What are the King's powers?

The King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has been the head of state since 1999, when he succeeded his father as Emir of Bahrain. In 2002, he declared Bahrain a kingdom and proclaimed himself the first king. The King enjoys wide-ranging powers, which include:

• Appointing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet: The King directly appoints the Prime Minister, who is the head of the government. The current Prime Minister is Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
• Holding supreme command over the Defence Force: The King serves as the commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force.
• Chairing the Higher Judicial Council: The King established the Supreme Judicial Council in 2000 to regulate the country's courts and ensure the separation of the administrative and judicial branches of government.
• Appointing the parliament's upper house and dissolving its elected lower house: Bahrain's parliament is a bicameral legislature, with the upper house, the Shura Council, appointed directly by the King, and the lower house, the Council of Representatives, elected by universal suffrage. The King has the power to dissolve the lower house.

In addition to these formal powers, the King's influence extends to other areas. The Al Khalifa family, which has ruled Bahrain since the late 1700s, holds a large number of ministerial and governmental posts.

Who is the Prime Minister of Bahrain?

The Prime Minister of Bahrain is His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. He is the head of the Bahraini government and has served in this role since 2020, following the death of the previous Prime Minister, Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who was the king's paternal uncle. Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa is also the Crown Prince, and prior to becoming Prime Minister, he served as deputy king, crown prince, and heir apparent, as well as First Deputy Prime Minister from 2013 until 2020.

The Prime Minister of Bahrain is directly appointed by the King, and the constitution does not require the Prime Minister to be an elected member of the Council of Representatives. The current King of Bahrain is Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who has ruled since 1999 and declared Bahrain a kingdom in 2002.

Since gaining independence in 1971, Bahrain has only had two Prime Ministers. The current Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, is the head of government and also serves as Deputy Commander of the Bahrain Defence Force.

What is the Bahraini political system?

The Kingdom of Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by the Al Khalifa family since the late 1700s. The current ruler, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has been in power since 1999. He became the Emir of Bahrain in 1999 and in 2002, he declared Bahrain a kingdom and installed himself as king.

The Bahraini political system is centred around the king, who holds wide-ranging powers. The king appoints the prime minister, the cabinet, and the parliament's upper house, the Shura Council. The Shura Council is appointed directly by the king, while the lower house, the Council of Representatives, is elected by universal suffrage. The king also holds supreme command over the Bahrain Defence Force and chairs the Higher Judicial Council.

The Bahraini political system has been marked by tension between the Shia majority and the Sunni rulers. While the Shia majority has long complained of being denied equal rights and opportunities, the Sunni minority holds most political and military power. This tension has occasionally escalated into civil disobedience and violent incidents.

The Bahraini political system has undergone significant changes since the country's independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. The first Emir of Bahrain, Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, issued a decree for the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft and ratify a constitution in 1972. This constitution provided for a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, consisting of elected members and royally-appointed government ministers. However, the National Assembly did not have legislative powers, and the country was governed under emergency laws from 1975 until 2002.

In 2002, Bahrain transitioned to a constitutional monarchy, with the king as the head of state. This change was endorsed by a popular referendum that saw a 98.4% vote in favour. The first parliamentary elections under this new system were held in 2002, followed by the second election in 2006.

While Bahrain was once seen as a promising model for political reform, the monarchy has been criticised for eliminating political rights and civil liberties since crushing a pro-democracy protest movement in 2011.

What is the history of Bahrain's leadership?

The Kingdom of Bahrain has been ruled by the Al Khalifa family since the late 1700s. The current ruler, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has been the King of Bahrain since 2002, when he changed the country's status from an emirate to a kingdom.

The Al Khalifa family came to power in 1783, when the Bani Utbah clan invaded and captured Bahrain. The first ruler of the Al Khalifa was Shaikh Ahmed Al-Fateh, who ruled until his death in 1796. The Al Khalifa family moved to Bahrain in 1797, having previously been based in Kuwait.

In 1869, the Al Khalifa sought protection from the British, who established a protector-protégé relationship with them. This was formalised in 1880 and again in 1892, with treaties that recognised the Al Khalifa as the rulers of Bahrain.

Bahrain gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1971, with Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa as its ruler. In 1972, Isa issued a decree for the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft and ratify a constitution. The constitution enshrined the hereditary leadership of the Al Khalifa family and provided for a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly.

In 1999, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa became the Emir of Bahrain, succeeding his father, Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa. He instituted elections for parliament, gave women the right to vote, and released all political prisoners. In 2002, he declared Bahrain a kingdom and installed himself as King.

The Bahraini government takes place within a constitutional monarchy framework, with the government appointed by the King. The head of the government since 2020 is Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who became Prime Minister following the death of Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

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