Khalifa Al Dhahrani

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Bahrain
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Constitution King: Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah Prime minister Khalifah ibn Sulman al-Khalifah National Assembly Consultative Council Council of Representatives Political parties Elections: 2006 parliamentary Governorates Human rights Women's political rights Foreign relations
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Khalifa Al Dhahrani is the Speaker of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain and is therefore the most senior MP in parliament. At 65 he is the oldest MP and while not a member of any political party is generally considered to have conservative mildly Islamist leanings. Mr Al Dhahrani served in the 1973 National Assembly and was re-elected as an MP after the restoration of parliament in 2002.

As the Speaker of Parliament Mr Al Dhahrani is the most senior MP, which has meant that public dissatisfaction at the performance of MPs is often directed at him; he has been accused of not doing enough to censure Islamist MPs who have made provocative statements and encouraged sectarianism.

Sunni Islamist Mr Al Dhahrani faces a challenge to keep his job as speaker after 2006's general election as popular Shia Islamist party Al Wefaq has indicated that its leader Ali Salman will look to secure the post according to the Gulf News.