A critical year for Bahrain and its national assembly: the final session of the Bahrain parliament's first term opened at the start of October

One of the most important periods in the history of Bahrain since full independence in August 1971 got under way at the start of this month, with the opening of the fourth and final session of the National Assembly's first term. It sets the scene for an intense period of debate about the direction taken since the accession of King Hamad al-Khalifa in March 1999.