Bahraini woman sets record after being elected to parliament

Manama, Sept 12 (ANI): A Bahraini woman has set a record by becoming the second female candidate ever to find a place in the country's lower chamber of parliament after she was declared the winner of a planned September 24 run-off when her four opponents pulled out of the election.

Sawsan Al Taqawi was declared winner by Justice Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ali Al Khalifa.

"Following the decisions of the candidates Ahmad Salem Al Sherooqi, Nabeel Ali Al Lababidi, Yusuf Abdul Rahim Janahi and Abdul Salam Al Mannai to withdraw from the race, I declare Sawsan Hajji Ghuloom Taqawi, the only candidate remaining in the race, as the winner of the Second Constituency of the Northern Governorate," Gulfnews quoted Shaikh Khalid, as saying.

Last week, Sawsan had vowed not to give up despite strong campaign against her.

"I have been under tremendous pressure to withdraw my candidacy, and now my posters and billboards are being defaced. It is a clear message that I should withdraw, but I am moving on. I am writing a letter to the head of the elections committee to detail how I have been targeted," she said.

Al Taqawi, however, did not mention whether she was deliberately targeted because of being a woman.

Bahrain is scheduled to hold the legislative by-elections in two weeks to elect the 18 lawmakers who will replace the former representatives of Al Wefaq society, who pulled out of the lower chamber of the bicameral parliament in February, to protest against the way the authorities dealt with protestors in the same month. (ANI)