Bahrain promised the vote

Sheikh Hamad is bringing about long desired change

By Caroline Hawley in Cairo

The Emir of Bahrain has promised to restore a democratically-elected parliament after a break of 25 years.

In a televised address to mark National Day, Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa al-Khalifa, said the decision had been taken in line with, what he called, democratic and constitutional development around the world.

New Arab rulers

Jordan's King Abdullah

Syria's Bashar al-Assad

Morocco's King Mohammed

Bahrain's Sheikh Hamad

The last parliament was dissolved in 1975, two years after it was established.

When Sheikh Hamad took power on the death of his father last year, many expected political change.

Now it's beginning to happen.

Time for change

In September the Emir appointed for the first time four women and a Jew to Bahrain's 40 member consultative council.

Now he has promised the most sweeping reform in a quarter of a century - the restoration of parliament.

That's been a longstanding demand of the tiny Gulf State's mostly Shi'ite opposition, whose campaign for change in the 1990s sparked serious unrest.

A new Bahrain

The Emir gave no date for the elections, but did say there was no turning back on the path to, what he called, a new Bahrain.

Sheikh Hamad is part of a new generation of Arab leaders who have taken over from their fathers over the past two years.

New leaders like King Abdullah of Jordan are changing the region

He, King Abdullah of Jordan, King Mohammed of Morocco and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria are all now making tentative political change in a notoriously undemocratic region.

Sheikh Hamad's decision to restore Parliament was taken on the advice of a special committee he set up last month to work for democratic reform.