Iran's Reformists keep their eyes on the prize
Despite pressures from the Guardian Council and fierce competition with Principlists, Iranian Reformists appear ever focused on their goals in the country’s parliamentary elections.
TEHRAN, Iran — Compared to past elections, the Feb. 26 parliamentary elections are different in many key aspects. For one, the Reformists, who after an eight-year hiatus regained power in 2013 with the election of moderate President Hassan Rouhani, have been doing all they can to not only maintain their position but also win as many seats in parliament as possible. Their stepped-up efforts could clearly be seen in the final days of campaigning. But will they have the means to overcome the obstacles in their way?
The Reformists put forward a list of 30 names that they endorsed for the parliamentary elections. This ticket, called “The List of Hope,” is accompanied by the campaign slogan “Tranquility and Economic Growth.” However, the presence of a number of lesser known — or even unknown — people on the ticket has been causing somewhat of a controversy. Another controversial feature of the list was the presence of three moderate Principlist lawmakers: Ali Motahari, Behrouz Nemati and Kazem Jalali.
The question now is whether the Reformist ticket will be able to repeat what was seen in 2013, when a coalition of Reformists and moderates brought Rouhani to power.
Mohammad Atrianfar, a prominent Iranian journalist and Reformist figure, told Al-Monitor, “Considering the policies that were set and the unbelievable scrutiny with which the Guardian Council monitored the Reformist candidates, many of the group’s well-known figures were disqualified. What the Reformists were eventually left with were individuals who had very little prominence.”
