Iranian president Hassan Rouhani won an emphatic vote of confidence and reformist partners secured surprise gains in parliament in early results from elections that could accelerate the Islamic Republic’s emergence from years of isolation.
While gains by moderates and reformists in Friday’s polls were most evident in the capital, Tehran, the scale of the advances suggests a legislature more friendly to the pragmatist Mr Rouhani has emerged as a distinct possibility.
A loosening of control by the anti-western hardliners who dominate the 290-seat parliament could strengthen his hand to open Iran further to foreign trade and investment following last year’s nuclear deal.
A reformist-backed list of candidates aligned with Mr Rouhani was on course to win all 30 parliamentary seats in Tehran, initial results showed. Top conservative candidate Gholamali Haddad Adel was set to lose his seat. “The people showed their power once again and gave more credibility and strength to their elected government,” Mr Rouhani said, adding he would work with anyone who won to build a future for the industrialised, oil-exporting country.
The polls were seen by analysts as a potential turning point for Iran, where nearly 60 per cent of its 80 million population is under 30 and eager to engage with the world following the lifting of most sanctions.
“Based on the votes that we have so far it looks like the principlists will lose the majority in the next Majlis [parliament] shy of 50 per cent. The reformists gained 30 per cent and independent candidates did better than before, gaining 20 per cent,” said Foad Izadi of Tehran University.
Relations restored
Principlists, otherwise known as hardliners, hold 65 per cent of the outgoing parliament, and the rest is divided between reformists and independents who traditionally support Mr Rouhani. Mr Izadi said the reformists’ strong lead was prompted by Mr Rouhani’s success in reaching a nuclear agreement between Iran and international powers, the removal of most of the punitive sanctions that had strangled the economy over the past decade and restoration of relations with the West. “It is a sweeping victory for Tehran but for other cities it is not yet clear-cut. It is beyond expectations,” he added.
Etemad, a reformist newspaper whose managing-editor Elias Hazrati won a seat in Tehran, has chosen the first headline: "Clean-up in the parliament."
“The next parliament will be like no other parliament in the history of Iran as no political faction will have the absolute say,” the newspaper said on its front-page.
Because of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei health and age, 76, the new assembly members who serve eight-year terms are likely to choose his successor. The next leader could well be among those elected this week. Whatever the outcome, Iran’s political system places much power in the hands of the conservative Islamic establishment. – (Reuters)