MANAMA - Sunni Islamists made gains in the second round of Bahrain's legislative polls as the Shiite opposition boosted earlier wins, giving the Gulf state an Islamist-dominated parliament, results showed Sunday. Saturday's second round ended with Islamists controlling 30 of parliament's 40 seats in a country considered liberal by the standards of the conservative Gulf region, and whose government is a close US ally and hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.But while Sunni Islamists are supporters of the government, the main political formation of the Shiite majority in Sunni-ruled Bahrain which had boycotted the last elections in 2002 made a spectacular entry into parliament on an opposition platform. The Islamic National Accord Association (INAA) headed by charismatic Shiite cleric Sheikh Ali Salman grabbed 16 seats in the first round of the elections on November 25. On Saturday, the INAA won the 17th seat it had been certain to take in a constituency where two of its members faced off as independents, according to results announced on state television early Sunday.
The Sunni National Islamic Tribune Association, which represents the Muslim Brotherhood, clinched three mandates in the second round to regain the share of seven seats it held in the outgoing parliament. Its Salafi ally, the Assala (Authenticity) Association, gained one more seat Saturday to claim a total of five mandates.