Alees Samaan in the context of "Consultative Council (Bahrain)"

The Consultative Council (Arabic: مجلس الشورى, romanized: Majlis al-shura), also known as the Shura Council, is the upper house of the National Assembly, the main legislative body of Bahrain.

The Council comprises 40 members appointed directly by the King of Bahrain. The 40 nominated members of the Consultative Council combined with the 40 elected members of the Council of Representatives form the National Assembly of Bahrain. All laws (except for "Royal decrees") have to be passed by both chambers of the Assembly. This allows technical expertise and minority communities a role within the legislative process: in Bahrain, a Bahraini Christian woman, Alees Samaan and a Bahraini Jewish man have been appointed. After there was widespread disappointment that no women were elected to the lower house in 2002's general election, four women were appointed to the Consultative Council.