TEHRAN, Iran — After having controlled Iran’s legislature for more than a decade, hard-liners have resolutely been hit with a big defeat in the country’s parliamentary elections. In the first round of voting on Feb. 26, Reformists and moderates got massive support and secured complete victory in the Iranian capital. All of Tehran’s 30 seats were won by the joint Reformist-moderate ticket.
Overall, the Feb. 26 vote gave Reformists and moderates 83 out of parliament’s 290 seats, while the Principlists got 64 and independents won 55. In many cities other than Tehran, elections went to a second round as a number of candidates failed to gain the necessary 25% quorum of votes. The runoff, which was held April 29, was over the 68 remaining seats — lesser in number than the first round, but nevertheless momentous since it determines whether one side will have a majority.
