A PUBLIC backlash against the previous parliament, fuelled by anger at the imminent introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT), has been credited with dashing the hopes of 13 MPs seeking re-election.
Of 23 incumbent MPs who ran for parliament again this year, only two successfully defended their seats in the first round of voting on Saturday – Adel Al Asoomi and Isa Al Kooheji.
Thirteen of them were dumped outright by voters, while eight face a second-round run-off this weekend.
The cull is an indication of widespread dissatisfaction at parliament’s performance during the past four years.
However, 27 MPs who supported the introduction of VAT in January were singled out for criticism – both ahead of the election and on election day itself.
Influential social media accounts posted the names and pictures of those who voted in favour of VAT as part of a campaign encouraging voters not to support them again.
Pictures and messages reminding people were also circulated on the day of the election on Saturday.
“The public is upset and angry,” explained political analyst Fareed Ghazi, a lawyer who served in parliament between 2002 and 2006.
“People don’t want MPs who imposed taxes on them, didn’t secure compensation or financial benefits and even tightened restrictions on political and human rights.
“Voters today are extremely intelligent and have strong opinions.
“This translated into the outcome of the first round of the election.”
Seventeen of the 27 MPs who last month voted in favour of VAT tried to defend their seat.
Of those, 10 lost outright in the first round and five face a second-round run-off.
Only Mr Al Asoomi and Mr Al Kooheji were successful, while the five VAT-supporting MPs in the second round are Nasser Al Qaseer, Abdulrahman Bumajeed, Abdulrahman Buali, Ghazi Al Rahma and Ibrahim Al Hammadi.
“Only Mr Al Asoomi and Mr Al Kooheji won in the first round because they have overwhelming popularity in their areas, which is unmatched by their competitors regardless of what they do,” said Mr Ghazi, who is also Mabade’a Society for Human Rights president.
“This why they don’t find themselves in the second round scramble or suffering an early exit.”
He described the five VAT-supporting MPs in the second round as either influential or lucky.
“The five MPs in the second round are extremely influential or are there based on pure luck,” he said.
“One of their competitors missed out on automatic election in the first round by a small margin.”
Only nine of 40 available parliament seats were won outright in the first round, while the other 31 will be decided by a second round run-off.
A candidate must get more than 50 per cent of the vote to be elected in the first round.
In constituencies where didn’t happen, the two most popular candidates will face off in a second round of voting on Saturday.
Based on public reaction to the last parliament, Mr Ghazi predicted incoming MPs would be under pressure to oppose further government austerity measures that could increase costs of living or doing business.
“It (the new parliament) will have to address the implementation of VAT and its effect on the public, the future direction with pensions and the introduction of the Health Insurance Scheme,” he said.
“The challenge is there with the government having a task to balance finances and MPs will be under pressure to prevent policies that could affect voters’ pockets, after extensive damage to people’s budgets and spending.”
Meanwhile, he urged incoming MPs to tweak legislation approved by the former parliament, which prevents members of outlawed political societies running for election.
“This should apply to ‘active members’ of dissolved political societies,” he said.
“Many people were unjustly stopped from standing for election because they were listed as members of dissolved societies by relatives, they once signed a petition for the dissolved society or showed up for a meeting and never returned.”
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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