Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifa

Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa خليفة بن سلمان آل خليفة
Prime Minister of Bahrain
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 December 1971
Monarch	Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Deputy	Jawad Al-Arrayedh Muhammad ibn Mubarak ibn Hamad Al Khalifah
Preceded by	Position established
Personal details
Born	24 November 1935 (1935-11-24) Doha, Qatar
Spouse(s)	Hessa bint Ali Al Khalifa
Religion	Sunni Islam

‎Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa (Arabic: خليفة بن سلمان آل خليفة‎) (born 24 November 1935) is the Prime Minister of Bahrain since 1971, hence is the longest-serving unelected prime minister in the world. He still retains his post, although under the 2002 Constitution he has lost some of his power on paper, with King Hamad having the authority to appoint and (along with the Bahraini parliament) dismiss ministers.

Early life and education

He was born in Doha, Qatar, the 2nd son of Sheikh Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa, Hakim of Bahrain, and wife Sheikha Mouza. He was educated at Manama High School and Rifa’a Palace School in Bahrain.

Khalifa is the uncle of the reigning King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa.

Career

He was Member of the Education Council from 1956 to 1957 and Chair between 1957 and 1960. Next he was subsequently Director of the Finance Department (1960–1966), Director of Finance and President of the Electricity Board (1961), Chair Manama Municipality (1962–1967), Head of the Bahrain Monetary Council (1965), Chair of the Joint Committee for Economic & Financial Studies, Committee for the Register of Commerce, Administry Council (1967–1970), and Bahrain Monetary Agency, President of the State Council (1970–1973), Head of the State Council (1970), Prime Minister since 1971, and Head of the Supreme Defence Council (1978).

Khalifa was appointed as Prime Minister by his brother, Emir Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifa, in 1971.

Marriage and children

Khalifa married at Muharraq with Sheikha Hessa bint Ali Al Khalifa, the fourth daughter of Sheikh Ali bin Hamad Al Khalifa. They had three sons and one daughter:

• HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa (died 14 June 1974)
• HH Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa - Third Deputy Prime Minister. He married Sheikha Zayn bint Khalid Al Khalifa with whom he has two sons:
  • Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa
  • Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa
• HH Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
• HH Sheikha Lulwa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa - Honorary President of the Al Noor Beneficence Society. She married His Excellency Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, prominent Bahraini artist and patron of the arts (born 1952). They have three sons and three daughters.

Titles, styles and honours

Monarchical styles of Prince Khalifa
Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness
Alternative style	Sheikh

Titles and styles

• 24 November 1935 - 20 February 1942: Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
• 20 February 1942 - 21 October 2009: His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
• 21 October 2009 – present: His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa

On 21 October 2009, King Hamad raised him to the personal title of Prince, with the style of His Royal Highness, for his life-long services.

Honours

• Order of Khalifa, 1st Class (Bahrain, 19 December 1979)
• Grand Cordon of the Orders of the Renaissance (Jordan, 4 November 1999)
• Grand Cordon of the White Elephant (Thailand, 3 December 2003)
• Order of the Two Rivers, 2nd class (Iraq, 3 April 1952)

See also

• Cabinet of Bahrain
• List of national leaders

External links

• Biography H.R.H. the Prime Minister - official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain
• Bahrainprimeminister.net - website about the Bahrain Prime Minister and his family
• Works by or about Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifa in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Political offices
New office	Prime Minister of Bahrain 1971–present	Incumbent