Manama: Two Bahraini political societies have dissolved themselves, citing lack of activities and other commitments.
Al Watan Demokrati (The Democratic Nation) was founded in October 2014 and was officially registered in February.
The society had 70 founding members, including former lawmaker and current ambassador to Russia, Ahmad Al Saati.
Most of the members were political, business and academic figures as well as media people and former lawmakers.
The Justice and Development Society was founded in September 2011 following the tragic events that hit Bahrain in February and March and caused a deep fissure within the society.
Kadhem Al Saeed, the secretary general, attributed the request to the justice ministry to dissolve the society to the “heavy commitments of its members who are mainly business people.”
“The society did not hold any activity for a long time,” he said. “Besides many of its members have become committed to other societies and boards, thus greatly reducing the time they could devote to the society.”
Al Saeed said the dissolution of the Justice and Development Society would allow other dedicated vocational formations to carry on with more activities.
“Our society has become idle even though when it was launched it aimed to focus on economic issues alongside political matters. The society had an active role in the parliamentary elections held in 2014,” he said, quoted by Al Ayam daily on Monday.
Bahrain has 17 political societies registered under the Political Society Law enacted in 2005 as part of the reforms launched in 2001. They vary from Islamist to liberals.
Most of the societies took part in the parliamentary and municipal elections that have been regularly held every four years since 2002, following a constitutional hiatus of about three decades.
