Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa has marked history worldwide by being the first-ever long-serving prime minister in the world. His death, as a result, is set to hit international bars. He served Bahrain since its independence in 1971. Despite the many oppositions he faced as a leader, he managed to retain the seat till his last breath. His death broke the media houses on Wednesday, which revealed that he was at his prime ages, 84. In his fifty years of reign, Prince Khalifa remained unpopular with the Sunni-ruled kingdom’s Shiite population.
Bahrain Prime Minister political career
The prince was born on November 24, 1935. At the tender age of seven, he was already attending his father’s royal courts alongside his brother Prince Issa. Immediately after Bahrain attained its independence in 1970, prince Khalifa was appointed the state council’s head. This was the executive branch of government, which later became the council of ministers.
His government was met with many unrests following protests by leftist political groups. The group was demanding the trade unions be legalized. In 1972, some elections formed the assembly responsible for Bahrain’s first constitution. 1973 saw Bahrain having its first parliamentary elections, which didn’t last long enough. Two years later, Sheikh Khalifa`s government dissolved it following a misunderstanding on granting the government the power to arrest and carry out detention without trial.
He further strove to establish Bahrain as a regional financial hub in his reign. Moreover, Khalifa bore strong ties between Bahrain and the United States. In fact, the US Navy`s fifth fleet is being hosted in the region. The US has based its most trusted allies in the region.
History of unrest
It all dates back to the year 1990 when Iraq had an invasion of Kuwait. This prompted the renewal of pro-democracy protests alongside pressures from Britain and the United States. Things escalated in 1994, where the Shiite demanded the government to be brought back. Furthermore, they also wanted a more equitable distribution of wealth and the return of political exiles.
For five years, the unrests were in motion, and in the events, 38 lives were lost. Until the reign of King Hamad, the son of Sheikh Issa was welcomed to the throne that constitutional reforms were considered. This saw the parliament being reinstated in 2002. One would have thought it was over, but in February 2011, protests were more demanding towards a real constitutional monarchy and an elected replacement for Prince Khalifa. The country is yet to be free from political unrest, but some arrests have been made on chiefs.
His send-off
He died in Mayo Clinic Hospital in the United States. Following the current worldwide pandemic, the body of the Bahrain prime minister will be transported to his home country. Thereafter a burial will be arranged where few people will attend to ensure safety against corona. The country will hold a week’s mourning and a three-day closure of government ministries and departments. Leaders hailed his long political career. Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum paid his tributes and mentioned how he had been a big part of shaping Bahrain’s recent history.
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