An estimated 67 per cent of voters turned out on 24 November for Bahrain’s parliamentary elections, according to Bahrain News Agency.

MEED understands the turnout is 14 percentage points higher compared with the previous election held in 2014.

The increased turnout "ensures a clear mandate for a parliament representing the diverse range of views in Bahraini society," Justice, Islamic Affairs & Endowments Minister Khalid bin al-Khalifa said in a statement.

An estimated 430 candidates stood for election. They included 293 for the house of representatives and 137 for municipal councils.

Of these, 39 women stood for election at the house of representatives, while eight vied for municipal council seats.

However, two main opposition groups – Al-Wefaq and Waad – were barred from fielding candidates for the election.

The new government will need to review and approve Bahrain’s planned infrastructure projects, such as the planned light rail transit (LRT) network, a source told MEED in mid-November.

This could cause some minor delays to the planned projects' timeline, the source added.