ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK :

Religious groups take lead in Bahrain polls (Dawn, 5/11/02)

Religious groups emerged the major winners and women the losers in Bahrain's first local elections since 1957, an indication of the
likely outcome of the vote to restore parliament in October.

More women voted than men - 51 percent against 49 percent - but not one of the 31 women candidates won a seat to the five councils. Official
turnout was 51.28 percent of the 238,636 registered voters.

And here's why it is necessary to move slowly when liberalizing government; processes that give the people their say do not necessarily render liberal
democratic results. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 12, 2002 10:22 AM