Bahrain · Government
Government and administration in Bahrain
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Head of state — King
- Hereditary within the Al Khalifa family; appoints the Prime Minister and ministers.
- Executive — Council of Ministers
- Headed by the Crown Prince as Prime Minister since 2020.
- Legislative — National Assembly
- Elected Council of Representatives (40) and appointed Consultative Council (40).
- Judicial governance — Supreme Judicial Council
- Chaired by the King; appointments and discipline.
- Human rights — National Institution for Human Rights and Ombudsman
- Complaint-handling, including a police ombudsman created after 2011.
How legislation is made
Bills require passage by both chambers. Where they disagree, a joint sitting decides by majority with the Speaker of the appointed Consultative Council presiding and casting the deciding vote, which structurally favours the appointed chamber. The King ratifies and promulgates; a returned bill requires a two-thirds majority of the joint Assembly to be re-enacted. Decree-laws may be issued between sessions and must be submitted to the Assembly afterwards.
Enforcement institutions
- Public Prosecution
- Directs criminal investigation; includes a Special Investigation Unit for ill-treatment allegations.
- Central Bank of Bahrain
- Single regulator for banking, insurance and capital markets.
- National Audit Office
- Publishes annual reports on public expenditure.
- Personal Data Protection Authority
- Enforces the 2018 data protection law.
- Labour Market Regulatory Authority
- Work permits and labour inspection.
Government bodies and regulators
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