Browse by Date

March 2008
M T W T F S S
« Feb   Apr »
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  

Middle East Analysis

Understanding the Vote

By Jeffrey Fleishman and Ramin Mostaghim (Los Angeles Times)

posted on 03/17/08

Clergyman Votes (AP)
The political gamesmanship now shifts to two factions within the conservative camp, one that supports Ahmadinejad and another that blames him for high inflation and unemployment rates.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s populism and attacks on the West trumped criticism of his handling of the nation’s financial crisis as results released Saturday indicated that the hard-line leader had won strong support in parliamentary elections.

Reformists opposed to the president had stood little chance in Friday’s voting. Hundreds of their members … had been removed from the ballot by the Guardian Council, a body of clerics and jurists that vets candidates for loyalty to the country’s Islamic system. Despite this, estimates suggest that reformists could retain 40 of their 50 legislative seats and remain a minority voice. "The very presence of the reformers in the election campaign is a victory for them," said Reza Kaviyani, a reformist analyst. "The [conspiracy] was to delete them from any competition. So, even five or six reformers in the 8th parliament can be good enough for the reformist struggle toward a further open society." Access the full article>>