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| Bahrain holds disputed election amid Shia boycott calls | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Bahraini voters are taking part in the country's first parliamentary elections since Arab Spring protests broke out in 2011. | |
| The government has called on all of the country's political factions to participate in Saturday's poll. | The government has called on all of the country's political factions to participate in Saturday's poll. |
| But Shia opposition groups plan to stage a boycott, saying the vote is an attempt to establish "absolute rule". | But Shia opposition groups plan to stage a boycott, saying the vote is an attempt to establish "absolute rule". |
| Despite being ruled by a Sunni monarchy, the majority of the Bahraini population are Shias. | Despite being ruled by a Sunni monarchy, the majority of the Bahraini population are Shias. |
| Disenchanted protesters took to the streets of the capital, Manama, in 2011 to demand greater civil rights. | Disenchanted protesters took to the streets of the capital, Manama, in 2011 to demand greater civil rights. |
| But the protests were stamped out when the government, backed by Saudi tanks, moved in to crush dissent. | But the protests were stamped out when the government, backed by Saudi tanks, moved in to crush dissent. |
| Talks to resolve the situation have since collapsed and unrest has continued. | Talks to resolve the situation have since collapsed and unrest has continued. |
| 'Sham' | 'Sham' |
| Some 350,000 people are eligible to vote, choosing 40 legislators from among 266 mostly Sunni candidates. | Some 350,000 people are eligible to vote, choosing 40 legislators from among 266 mostly Sunni candidates. |
| A coalition of opposition groups said it would boycott Saturday's legislative and municipal elections. | A coalition of opposition groups said it would boycott Saturday's legislative and municipal elections. |
| The alliance, which includes al-Wefaq, Bahrain's most popular opposition group, has called the poll a "sham". | The alliance, which includes al-Wefaq, Bahrain's most popular opposition group, has called the poll a "sham". |
| It has also demanded an elected prime minister who is independent from the ruling al-Khalifa monarchy. | It has also demanded an elected prime minister who is independent from the ruling al-Khalifa monarchy. |
| "These elections are destined to fail because the government is incapable of addressing the political crisis," al-Wefaq member Abdul-Jalil Khalil told the Associated Press news agency. | "These elections are destined to fail because the government is incapable of addressing the political crisis," al-Wefaq member Abdul-Jalil Khalil told the Associated Press news agency. |
| Bahraini Information Minister Sameera Ebrahim Bin Rajab said that the "door to dialogue will never be shut, including with al-Wefaq" but added: "Violence is not allowed. It is tantamount to terrorism." | Bahraini Information Minister Sameera Ebrahim Bin Rajab said that the "door to dialogue will never be shut, including with al-Wefaq" but added: "Violence is not allowed. It is tantamount to terrorism." |
| Bahrain is of key strategic importance to Washington and hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet. | Bahrain is of key strategic importance to Washington and hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet. |
| The election will also be closely watched by Saudi Arabia, which has a large Shia Muslim population in its Eastern Province. | The election will also be closely watched by Saudi Arabia, which has a large Shia Muslim population in its Eastern Province. |