The absence of formal political parties in Iran means that most political currents or movements rely heavily on charismatic political leaders who can capture the electorate's imagination. Ofttimes, these leaders, despite their shortcomings, can count on a solid base of voters during elections. But Hassan Rouhani's election as president presented a shift in this dynamic, Ahmad Gholami wrote in Shargh Daily, one of Iran’s most prominent Reformist newspapers.
In an op-ed piece titled, “A vote is just a vote, it’s not allegiance,” Gholami used the religiously charged “bayah” for allegiance, which literally means “oath of allegiance to a leader.”