MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s leading Shiite opposition group on Sunday criticized the Sunni-led government’s claim that more than half of registered voters participated in the island kingdom’s first full parliamentary election since Arab Spring-inspired protests nearly four years ago.
Opposition groups boycotted Saturday’s elections because they accuse the Sunni monarchy of failing to enact political reforms and address other grievances in the wake of widespread protests led by the country’s Shiite majority that began in February 2011.
The justice minister, Sheikh Khalid Bin Ali Al Khalifa, announced that six candidates secured enough votes to secure seats in the first round of voting for the 40-member lower house of parliament.
Four Sunni independents and an independent Shiite cleric won seats in the first round. So did Sunni former lawmaker Abdul-Halim Murad, from the Salafi bloc al-Asalah.
The winners of the other 34 seats will be decided in runoff elections scheduled for Nov. 29.
Bahrain’s Shiites have long complained of discrimination under the rule of the Sunni monarchy.
Sheikh Khalid told reporters that 51.5 percent of voters took part in the parliamentary elections.
The country’s most organized and popular Shiite opposition group, al-Wefaq, blasted that figure Sunday, calling it “amusing, ridiculous” and lacking credibility.
The group alleged that turnout appeared closer to 30 percent, and that voter numbers were only that high because authorities pushed tens of thousands of members of the military and other civil servants to vote or risk retribution.
“We know well that the boycott affected this election,” leading al-Wefaq member Abdul-Jalil Khalil said.
Bahrain continues to face unrest, including street protests and clashes between activists and riot police, pitting a Shiite-dominated opposition against supporters of the Sunni monarchy.
The tiny nation is strategically important for Washington, hosting the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, and is part of the U.S.-led coalition striking the Islamic State group.