Nationalist Democratic Assembly

{{Short description|Ba'athist political party in Bahrain}} {{Infobox political party | name = Nationalist Democratic Assembly | native_name = التجمع القومي الديمقراطي | logo = Alqawmi bahrain symbol.PNG | colorcode = {{party color|Nationalist Democratic Assembly}} | leader = Hassan Ali | foundation = {{start date|1991}} | headquarters = [[Zinj, Bahrain|Zinj]]<ref name="NDASH">{{cite web|url=http://www.alwasatnews.com/1583/news/read/209453/1.html|title=Attorney Calls for further investigation into the incident|language=ar |trans-title="النيابة" تطلب مواصلة التحري في حادث "الزنج"|work=[[Al-Wasat (Bahraini newspaper)|Al-Wasat]]|access-date=10 April 2013}}</ref> | ideology = [[Ba'athism]]<br />[[Saddamism]] | seats1_title = [[Council of Representatives (Bahrain)|Council of Representatives]] | seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|40|hex={{party color|Nationalist Democratic Assembly}}}} | seats2_title = [[Consultative Council (Bahrain)|Consultative Council]] | seats2 = {{Composition bar|0|40|hex={{party color|Nationalist Democratic Assembly}}}} | colors = Black, Red, White and Green | native_name_lang = ar | international = [[Ba'ath Party (Iraqi-dominated faction)|Iraqi-led Ba'ath Party]] | flag = [[File:Flag of the Ba'ath Party.svg|150px|border]] | website = [http://www.al-qawmi.org/ al-qawmi.org] | country = Bahrain | footnotes = }} {{Ba'athism sidebar}} The '''Nationalist Democratic Assembly''' ({{Langx|ar|التجمع القومي الديمقراطي|rtl=yes}}, {{lang|ar-Latn|Al-Tajamu'u Al-Qawmi Al-Dimuqratiyah}}) is a [[political party]] in [[Bahrain]]. It is the Bahraini regional branch of the [[Ba'ath Party (Iraqi-dominated faction)|Iraqi-led Ba'ath Party]].<ref name="Natural">{{cite web|author=Mahdi, Mazdi|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/mena/bahrainis-take-to-the-streets-over-job-security-1.496508|title=Bahrainis take to the streets over job security|work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]|date=2 May 2010|access-date=26 February 2012}}</ref> The party is led by Secretary General Hassan Ali and Deputy Secretary General Mahmoud Kassab.<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|url=http://www.al-qawmi.org/?categoryid=12|trans-title=Nationalist Democratic Assembly|script-title=ar:التجمع القومي الديمقراطي|publisher=Nationalist Democratic Assembly|date=15 November 2007|access-date=26 February 2012|language=ar}}</ref> It was established by Bahrainis who had studied in [[Ba'athist Iraq]] during the 1960s and 1970s. The party boycotted the [[2002 Bahraini general election|2002 parliamentary election]] but not the [[2006 Bahraini general election|2006 election]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|url=http://www.alwasatnews.com/index.php?plugin=elections&act=read&id=51|trans-title=Nationalist Democratic Assembly|script-title=ar:جمعية التجمع القومي الديمقراطي|work=[[Al-Wasat (Bahraini newspaper)|Al-Wasat]]|date=15 November 2007|access-date=26 February 2012|language=ar}}</ref> The [[2011 Bahraini parliamentary by-elections|2011 parliamentary by-election]] was boycotted by the party in solidarity with the [[Bahraini uprising of 2011|Bahraini uprising]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|url=http://www.alwasatnews.com/index.php?plugin=elections&act=read&id=51|trans-title=National Rally fifth Association announces boycott of the elections complementary|script-title=ar:"التجمع القومي" خامس جمعية تعلن مقاطعتها للانتخابات التكميلية|work=[[Al-Wasat (Bahraini newspaper)|Al-Wasat]]|date=16 August 2011|access-date=26 February 2012|language=ar}}</ref> It is headquartered in [[Zinj, Bahrain|Zinj]].<ref name="NDASH"/>

The party opposes the government's [[Naturalization|naturalisation policies]], and contends that it is unfair for ethnic Bahrainis to compete equally with foreign workers for jobs.<ref name="Natural"/> It remains pro-[[Saddam Hussein]]<ref name="NDASH"/> and, according to its webpage, supports the [[Arab Spring]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|url=http://www.al-qawmi.org/?categoryid=13|trans-title=News|script-title=ar:أخبار|publisher=Nationalist Democratic Assembly|date=15 November 2007|access-date=26 February 2012|language=ar}}</ref> It opposed the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], considering it an act of brutality against the Iraqi people.<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|url=http://www.ahewar.org/debat/show.art.asp?aid=6449|trans-title=Statement issued by the Nationalist Democratic Assembly|script-title=ar:بيان صادر عن التجمع القومي الديمقراطي في العراق|publisher=Ahewar.org|date=28 March 2003|access-date=26 February 2012|language=ar}}</ref> The party actively supports the overthrow of the [[House of Khalifa|existing monarchy]], with a [[peaceful transition of power|peaceful transition]] to [[democracy]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|date=17 February 2012 |author-link=Staff writer|url=http://www.islamtimes.org/vdcjyoevxuqetxz.3ffu.html|trans-title=Democratic Rally: Do not drop the slogan of the system due to certain circumstances|script-title=ar:التجمع الديمقراطي: عدم رفع شعار إسقاط النظام سببه ظروف معينة|publisher=Islamtimes.org|access-date=26 February 2012|language=ar}}</ref>

It is part of a four-party alliance opposing the government, which comprises two [[Shia Islam|Shia]] [[Islamism|Islamist]] parties ([[Al Wefaq]] and the [[Islamic Action Society]]) and the [[Left-wing politics|leftist]] [[National Democratic Action Society]].

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

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:1991 establishments in Asia]] [[Category:1991 in Bahrain]] [[Category:Arab nationalism in Bahrain]] [[Category:Ba'athist political parties]] [[Category:Ba'athist regional branches|Bahrain]] [[Category:Bahraini democracy movements]] [[Category:Political parties established in 1991]] [[Category:Political parties in Bahrain]] [[Category:Socialist parties in Bahrain]]