An initiative to rebalance voting power within the Bahrain Chamber has returned to the spotlight as Shura Council members seek consensus after debate on the proposed reforms were temporarily put on hold.
The Shura Council’s financial and economic affairs committee has underlined the need for a balanced, evidence-based decision on proposed changes to the Bahrain Chamber voting system.
The committee, chaired by Khalid Al Maskati, held two high-level meetings yesterday with Industry and Commerce Minister Abdulla Fakhro and Chamber chairman Sameer Nass to examine a draft law amending the table that determines the number of votes allocated to chamber members based on their declared capital.
Mr Al Maskati stressed that any legislative amendment must be founded on fairness, balance and consensus, while safeguarding the chamber’s role and serving the public interest.
“It is essential to reach a decision based on sound and appropriate foundations that achieves consensus among all concerned parties,” he said.
The committee said the proposed amendments should more accurately reflect Bahrain’s commercial and industrial landscape, particularly the structure of the private sector, and contribute to strengthening the chamber’s effectiveness and performance. It also emphasised the importance of producing stable, forward-looking legislation that would not require further amendments shortly after enactment.
“The desired legislation must be modern, stable and responsive to the needs of the next phase,” Mr Al Maskati said, adding that it should incorporate the views of all stakeholders and align with economic realities on the ground.
The meetings yesterday were held as part of the committee’s effort to gather all perspectives following the Shura Council’s decision earlier this week to return the draft law for further review, after the government requested additional time to address members’ questions.
The draft, approved by MPs in November, proposes replacing the current eight-tier voting system – which grants significant weight to large-capital firms – with a more graduated 15-tier structure allocating between one and 15 votes per member.
The reform aims to reduce dominance by large corporate blocs while enabling SMEs to participate more meaningfully in chamber elections.
The financial and economic affairs committee said it was keen to listen to all opinions.
“Diverse viewpoints enrich the committee’s work and help us reach the most appropriate decision through partnership and consensus,” Mr Al Maskati noted.
The committee praised Mr Fakhro for his active engagement in discussions and his readiness to provide a detailed study and formal opinion on the draft law.
It also commended Mr Nass for his constructive participation, highlighting his presentation supported by data, statistics and economic indicators that clarified the practical implications of the proposed changes on the chamber and its members.
During the meetings, the committee reviewed the key principles of the draft law, which aims to restore the capital‑based voting table that governed the chamber from its establishment in 1939 until its amendment in 2020.
Members examined comparative data showing the number of votes allocated under the current law, the proposed draft law, and the version approved by MPs. Particular attention was given to the representation of small and medium-sized enterprises in relation to voting power.
Bahrain Chamber elections are set for March.
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