Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Bahrain's Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman, who has held the post since Bahrain's first independent government was established 49 years ago, has died.

As expected, just hours after his death was announced, the King of Bahrain appointed his son, the Crown Prince, as Prime Minister, in an anticipated move, after the latter officially headed the government since over a year ago due to the absence of Khalifa bin Salman following his deteriorating health.

But what does the First Deputy Prime Minister becoming the Prime Minister mean?

First of all, we have to know that the last move was merely formal, as the Prime Minister's powers have been reduced since 2002 on more than one occasion and in multiple forms, in return for the expansion of the powers of the Crown Prince specifically.

Khalifa bin Salman was not an ordinary Prime Minister. He led the government for decades, during the era of Isa bin Salman, who preferred not to interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the country's administration, but his death in 1999 and the arrival of his son to power changed some things.

Hamad bin Isa aspired to control all functions of the state, so after the transformation of the state from an emirate to a monarchy, the power to form a government was transferred from the prime minister to the king, who practically shared the government with his uncle.

It was no secret that the appointment of people such as Ahmed Atiyatullah was intended to instil loyalists of the Royal Court into the heart of Khalifa bin Salman's government, which led to the resentment of Khalifa bin Salman, which he did not hide from some of his visitors. 

Matters did not stop there, as the Economic Development Council, the body responsible for investment and economic affairs, was created, but it is an independent body that is directly subordinate to Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad, rather than the governorship of the Cabinet.

Indeed, the Economic Development Council worked on Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 and has broad powers to change some of the laws on foreign investment in the country.

Khalifa bin Salman tried to hinder the work of the Economic Development Council, but a letter (January 2008) from the crown prince to his father, the king, was published in the local press, in which the son complained to his father that some government agencies had obstructed the work of the Economic Development Council. The publication of that letter eventually led the king to make members of the government choose between cooperating with the Economic Development Council or resigning from the government. 

Despite the weakening and withdrawal of the PM's powers, the king and crown prince have always been willing to exploit any local or external variable to take away more powers, which took place in 2013 when Salman bin Hamad officially entered the government as first deputy prime minister, bypassing the PM's deputies (the decades-old loyal right hands of Khalifa bin Salman and his son Ali).

In October 2018, after Bahrain's success in receiving $10 billion in Gulf support, the king snatched the remaining real powers of his uncle the Prime Minister, giving the First Deputy Prime Minister the power to "appoint directors and those in power and transfer them to ministries and government agencies," and ordered the transfer of the presidency of the Civil Service Council from Khalifa bin Salman to his son Salman bin Hamad. In the last sessions that Khalifa bin Salman headed, he was left with limited powers such as putting out circulars on official holidays, in addition to chairing cabinet meetings. 

In the Gulf region, we've seen a combination of the positions of crown prince and prime minister for many years, in Kuwait specifically. This has always been the subject of criticism from MPs and activists, because that means fortifying and protecting the prime minister's position from interrogation and accountability, as the Constitution does not allow the interrogation of the Emir or Crown Prince.

But it is different in Bahrain, where the House of Representatives practically does not have the power to question a minister, as well as the prime minister, as they're impossible to question with the presence of a gaunt parliament with no real oversight powers.

The Crown Prince's assumption of the prime minister's position has been awaited for a long time and it has finally happened. The demise of Khalifa bin Salman after 49 years in office, and the appointment of Salman bin Hamad, is undoubtedly an important event. We can say that the Crown Prince is stronger today, more than ever, but the impact of this event and his appointment will be revealed with time.

Arabic Version