Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifais the 1st King of Bahrain, having previously been its 2nd Emir. He is the son of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the previous and 1st Emir. The country has been ruled by the Al Khalifa dynasty since 1783...
ProfessionRoyalty
Date of Birth21 October 1969
held people wrong
If people have done something wrong then they should be held accountable.
ambassador example guarantee jewish job means national regional rights sensitive
In establishing democracy, we have to be sensitive to the regional and national context. Democracy also means to guarantee the rights of the minorities. That's my job as a king. We have for example a Jewish ambassador in the US and a Christian in the UK.
jobs school salary
Bahrainis are better off than many other Arabs. We have a welfare state, everybody gets a salary whether they have a job or not. Electricity and food are subsidized school and healthcare are free. And we don't differentiate between Bahrainis and foreigners. We are very proud of that.
rights law practice
Democracy is not just constitutional and legislative rules; it is a culture and practice and adhering by the law and respecting international human rights principles.
government progress desire
Any government that has a sincere desire for reform and progress should understand the benefit of objective and constructive criticism.
turkeys people france
You cannot transpose the U.S. system on Turkey, and the Turkish system on France etc. You have to understand the people and their culture. That's leadership.
leader too-much arguing
It's good to have a leader, otherwise we argue too much.
brother like-you ifs
If you like your brother and he's prospering, you'll be pleased for him.
not-alone
By being friends with all, we are not alone.
began chapter charter consensus decided historic history national people reform
The reform process began with the historic consensus on the Charter of National Action, in which the Bahraini people decided on a new chapter of their history.
assembly cannot constitution national societies umbrella
Societies cannot move forward without law, and our constitution is the cornerstone of the law and our National Assembly is its umbrella and fortress.
article both constitution houses majority order parliament propose refuse sign states supported
We are a constitutional monarchy. I don't order laws, I propose them. Article 35 of our constitution states that the king can only refuse a law of parliament once, then he has to sign it - if the same law is then supported by a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament.
people
There are no 'political prisoners' as such in Bahrain. People are not arrested because they express their views, we only have criminals.
actions balance created divide faith gradual major monarch optimistic pains realize society stability strike time
Sectarian divide has created a schism in our society that is a major challenge. As monarch of all Bahrainis, it pains me to see many harmed by the actions of a few. And yet I am optimistic and have faith in our people. We all realize that now is the time to strike a balance between stability and gradual reform.