Iran considers move toward parliamentary system
An Iranian parliamentarian has said that a plan to turn Iran into a parliamentary system will be introduced this fall, despite real hurdles.
According to parliament member Youness Assadi, a plan for a parliamentary system for Iran will be presented this fall. Etemaad quoted him as saying during a parliament session, “As soon as the bill for a parliamentary system is passed, the president is obliged to introduce a prime minister so that the country based on a parliamentary system can manage the country.”
The report from the Reformist newspaper said that Assadi did not clarify which parliamentary commission nor which members of parliament have worked on this plan. Etemaad questioned how such a drastic change could be introduced so quickly, especially as it would require constitutional reform.
The idea for a parliamentary system was re-introduced into Iranian politics in October 2011 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said, “If one day in the distant or near future, … it would seem that in place of a presidential system, for instance, a parliamentary system is desirable … there is no problem.”
In August 2012, a group of parliamentarians tried to form a “parliamentary system faction” but the idea was shut down by the spokesman for Guardian Council.
