To meet the challenge posed by Al Wefaq, the two main Sunni Islamist parties, the salafist Asalah and the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Al-Menbar Islamic Society, agreed to form a coalition to maximise their votes.

In a brutal crackdown, backed by 1,500 troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as part of the Peninsula Shield Force, the government cleared the main protest site at the Pearl Roundabout.

All 18 members of Al-Wefaq resigned from the Council in protest at governmental actions during the uprising[3] and the party was temporarily banned.

At the 2018 Bahraini general election, Al-Wefaq and secular Waad were barred from fielding candidates, prompting renewed calls for a boycott.

A court had banned Al Wefaq in 2016 for "harbouring terrorism", inciting violence and encouraging demonstrations which threatened to spark sectarian strife.

A motion of non-cooperation against the Prime Minister can be held only after a threshold of ten members of the Council of Representatives bring forward a request, it is then voted on and requires a simple majority to pass.

If passed it is under the King's discretion to either relieve the Prime Minister from their post & appoint a new cabinet or dissolve the Council of Representatives.

[8] Before the amendment of the constitution in 2012, a motion of non-cooperation required a majority of two-thirds of the Council of Representatives to bring forward a request.