Al Meethaq

{{Short description|Liberal political party in Bahrain}} {{about|a political party in Bahrain|the document that ended the 1990s uprising in Bahrain|National Action Charter of Bahrain}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

'''Al-Meethaq''' ({{langx|ar|جمعية ميثاق العمل الوطني|translit=Jamʿiyya Mīṯāq al-ʿAmal al-Waṭaniyy}}; {{literal translation|National Action Charter Society}}) is a liberal political party in Bahrain. It was founded by Sunni and Shi'a businessmen from well-known families in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bahrain - Political Parties|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/bahrain-politics-parties.htm|publisher=Global Security|accessdate=21 September 2014}}</ref>

It won no seats in the 2002 or 2006 general elections. Sixteen of its members were appointed by the King of Bahrain in 2002 to the wholly appointed Consultative Council of Bahrain which co-legislates with the elected Council of Representatives of Bahrain.<ref>[http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=8120 Under the searing Bahrain sun, liberals with few illusions], ''Daily Star (Lebanon)'', 7 September 2004</ref>

With other liberal groups, al-Meethaq has established the Al-Muntada activist group which campaigns for personal freedoms.<ref>[http://search.gulfnews.com/articles/05/11/20/193638.html Bahrain Forum to campaign for personal freedoms] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929130725/http://search.gulfnews.com/articles/05/11/20/193638.html |date=2007-09-29 }}, ''Gulf News'', 20 November 2005</ref>

The party's leader is Ahmad Juma, who is culture editor of the newspaper ''Al Ayam''.

==Bahraini uprising== On 16 February 2011, the third day of the Bahraini uprising, al-Meethaq said that it was unconstitutional to ask for devolution of power and establishment of an elected government. "The repeated statements by Ali Salman, head of Al Wefaq about devolution of power and an elected government are completely flawed", the statement said.<ref name="Wasat 17.2.2011">{{cite news |title = جمعية ا��ميثاق تؤكد عدم دستورية مطالب تداول السلطة|date=16 February 2011|work=Al-Wasat|url= http://www.alwasatnews.com/3086/news/read/527723/1.html|accessdate=11 January 2012}}</ref>

== See also == * List of political parties in Bahrain

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090412100208/http://almeethaq.org/ Party website] (Arabic)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meethaq, Al}} Category:2002 establishments in Bahrain Category:Political parties established in 2002 Category:Political parties in Bahrain Category:Liberalism in Bahrain