Abbas Busafwan / Stephan Rosiny

Power-Sharing in Bahrain: A Still-Absent Debate

GIGA Working Papers | 2015


  • Research Programmes

    Series

    GIGA Working Papers

    Series Number

    280

    Number of Pages

    37

    Publisher

    German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)

    Location

    Hamburg

    Citizens from Bahrain demonstrate against the government.
    © Reuters / Hamad I Mohammed
    Citizens from Bahrain demonstrate against the government.
    © Reuters / Hamad I Mohammed

    Abstract

    Bahrain was among the first Arab Spring countries in which mass protests arose in February 2011. The authoritarian monarchy, which excludes vast segments of society from fair political and economic participation, opted for the use of force to suppress the mainly peaceful demonstrations, but it could not expunge the protests by a popular movement that continues to exist to this day. The power struggle is occurring along a Sunna–Shia divide that interconnects with regional sectarian tensions. This article investigates powersharing arrangements as an option to deal with such deep divisions. It outlines the historical background of the sectarian tensions in Bahrain and the rudimentary forms of powersharing that have existed there in the past. It then analyses the current debate between the regime and the opposition regarding the distribution of political power. While the reality still seems to be far removed from a power‐sharing solution, we nevertheless recommend power‐sharing as a feasible way out of the current stalemate.

    Abbas Busafwan

    Abbas Busafwan


    Dr. Stephan Rosiny

    Dr. Stephan Rosiny

    Former GIGA Team member


    Download



    Notification

    Sign up to receive email notifications about GIGA activities

    Social Media

    Follow us