Rouhani in election row over barred candidates
Reformist political factions ‘should be allowed to run too’
TEHRAN // Iran’s president is lobbying for fairer elections in Iran, saying moderate and reformist political factions should also be allowed to run in next month’s parliamentary elections.
In a speech yesterday, Hassan Rouhani took a swipe at a powerful committee that chooses who can run for parliament.
“The parliament is the house of the people, not a particular faction,” he said, referring to conservatives.
Mr Rouhani’s intervention came days after it emerged that only 1 per cent of reformists seeking to become politicians had been deemed eligible to run on the ballot on February 26.
Reformists have been largely sidelined since the disputed 2009 reelection of hardline conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, when the movement alleged widespread ballot fraud. In a sign of their discontent, few politicians from the reformist camp stood in Iran’s previous parliamentary election, in 2012. But the movement has regrouped since Mr Rouhani, a moderate cleric, took office in 2013, raising hopes of a comeback.
However, the vast rejection of reformist candidates on Monday led to claims that next month’s vote would not be credible. Only 30 of 3,000 seeking a seat in parliament were reportedly approved.
Mr Rouhani, speaking in Tehran to an audience of provincial governors, appeared to criticise the Guardian Council, the committee that has so far barred about 60 per cent of candidates.
“We must create hope, enthusiasm, competition,” the president said.
“If there is one faction and the other is not there, they don’t need the February 26 elections, they go to the parliament.
“No official without the vote of the people would be legitimate.” The vetting procedure has been contentious for months, because the election offers an opportunity for reformists and moderates to make gains against a dominant conservative camp in parliament.
Mr Rouhani’s remarks yesterday underscored tension in Iran about the elections following the country’s recent nuclear deal with the United States and five other major world powers.
The president, pledging to end the nuclear crisis, was elected in a landslide victory in a reaction to the rule of Mr Ahmadinejad, under whom the effect of sanctions worsened, crippling Iran’s economy. The nuclear deal lifted those sanctions and Mr Rouhani is now seeking to bring about some domestic reforms – a prospect more likely if there are fewer hardline conservative MPs to block his legislation.
Those seeking to run in next month’s vote can appeal against rejected applications. The Guardian Council will publish a final list of approved candidates on February 4.
“The executors and observers should pay attention that the framework of law is respected,” Mr Rouhani said, drawing a contrast between minority representation and the exclusion of larger groups. “How many people, how many thousands, follow the religion of Moses in this country?” he said, referring to the one seat allocated in Iran’s parliament for Jews.
Seats are also allocated for Christians, Armenians and Zoroastrians.
“They are 10,000, 20,000,” Mr Rouhani said. “Yet there is a faction in this country with seven or 10 million,” he said, again alluding to reformists.