National Democratic Action Society

National Democratic Action Society - Wa'ad
جمعية العمل الوطني الديمقراطي - وعد
General Secretary Ibrahim Sharif
Founder Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi[1]
Founded 2002
Preceded by Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain
Headquarters Umm Al Hassam, Bahrain
Student wing The Change Student Bloc
Youth wing The Youth Bureau - Waad
Ideology

Arab nationalism[2]

Socialism[3]

Political position Left-wing
Colors Orange
Slogan الوطن أمانة..وبسنا فساد
Website
aldemokrati.org

The National Democratic Action Society - Wa'ad (Arabic: جمعية العمل الوطني الديمقراطي - وعد‎‎) is Bahrain's largest leftist political party.

History and profile

It emerged from the Popular Front, a "radical" clandestine opposition movement of socialist and Arab nationalist orientation. Under the reform process initiated by Bahrain's King Hamad, the leaders of the Popular Front returned from exile to participate in the political process through the National Democratic Action.

The party's origins lie in the split within the Left in the Arab world in the 1960s, between a pro-Moscow camp and a pro-China camp, with the NDA's leaders backing Beijing. The party is the first licensed political group in any of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

Historically, the Left in Bahrain had been very strong, partly as a result of the creation of a local working class through the Kingdom's industrialisation with the discovery of oil in the 1930s; however the waning of Arab nationalism, the collapse of communism as an ideology and the rise of the Islamist Right have marginalised the NDA and robbed it of much of its traditional support. The party was established by returning exiles in 2002.[4]

The current leader of the party is Ibrahim Sharif Al-Sayed, who took over in 2005 from Abdul-Rahman Al Nuaimi. In 2005 the party renamed itself Wa'ad (Arabic: وعد‎‎), which translates to "Promise". Other prominent members include: Abdul-Nabi Alekri, Ebrahim KamalAldeen, Sami Seyadi, Ali Salih and Munira Fakhro

The party suffered a very disappointing result in 2002's municipal elections when none of its candidates were elected in any constituency. Despite this, the NDA's leaders are widely respected and retain a great deal of influence in Bahraini society. The party boycotted 2002's parliamentary elections, but took part in the Bahraini parliamentary election of 2006; among its candidates was its vice president and former Harvard academic, Munira Fakhro, who contested an Isa Town constituency against Salah Ali of Al-Menbar Islamic Society.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bahrain opposition figure al-Nuaimi dies". Associated Press. Forbes Magazine. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  2. ↑ Popular protests in North Africa and the Middle East (III): The Bahrain Revolt (PDF) (Report). International Crisis Group. 6 April 201. pp. 16–17. Retrieved 12 August 2012. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ↑ "A field guide to Bahraini political parties". The Daily Telegraph. Wikileaks. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Bahrain. Political parties". Global Security. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
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