Elections in Iran
Encyclopedia
Iran
elects on national level a head of state
and head of government
(the president
), a legislature
(the Majlis
), and an "Assembly of Experts
" (which elects the Supreme Leader
). Also City and Village Council
elections are held every four years throughout the country. The president is elected for a four-year term by the people. The Parliament or Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis-e Shura-ye Eslami) has 290 members, elected for a four-year term in multi- and single-seat constituencies. Elections for the Assembly of Experts
are held every six years. Mayors will be elected by popular vote for once in 2010. All candidates have to be approved by the Guardian Council
. See Politics of Iran
for more details.
Until January 2007, when it was raised to 18, the voting age
was 15 years, the lowest globally at the time.
, the tenth presidential election to be held in the country. The President of Iran
is the highest official elected by direct, popular vote, but does not control foreign policy or the armed forces. Candidates have to be vetted by the Guardian Council
, a twelve member body consisting of six clerics (selected by Iran's Supreme Leader), and six lawyers (proposed by the head of Iran's judicial system and voted in by the Parliament).
With two-thirds of the votes counted, the Islamic Republic News Agency
, Iran's official news agency, announced that the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won the election with 66% of the votes cast, while Mir-Hossein Mousavi
received 33% of the votes cast. The opposition candidates disputed the results amid widespread speculations of vote rigging and sought a re-election with due process; this was followed by popular street protests and its subsequent crackdown by the government. The European Union
said it was "concerned about alleged irregularities" during the vote, and some analysts and journalists from United States
and United Kingdom
based media expressed doubts about the authenticity of the results.
An alleged official letter by the Ministry of Interior, addressed to the Supreme Spiritual Leader Ali Khamenei
, presented completely different results. According to this letter, reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi
would have won the first round with about 19 million votes, followed by the other reformist candidate Mehdi Karrubi with about 13 million votes. Incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would have obtained only 5.6 million votes.
Participation (first round of the elections): 47% of those eligible to vote (27% in Tehran).
Participation (second round of the elections): 8% in Tehran.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
elects on national level a head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
(the president
President of Iran
The President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
), a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
(the Majlis
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
), and an "Assembly of Experts
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts of Iran , also translated as Council of Experts, is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities.Members of the assembly are elected from a government-screened list of candidates by...
" (which elects the Supreme Leader
Supreme leader
A supreme leader typically refers to a figure in the highest leadership position of an entity, group, organization, or state, who exercises strong or all-powerful authority over it. In religion, the supreme leader or supreme leaders is God or Gods...
). Also City and Village Council
City and Village Councils of Iran
City and Village Councils are local councils which are elected by public vote in all cities and villages throughout Iran....
elections are held every four years throughout the country. The president is elected for a four-year term by the people. The Parliament or Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis-e Shura-ye Eslami) has 290 members, elected for a four-year term in multi- and single-seat constituencies. Elections for the Assembly of Experts
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts of Iran , also translated as Council of Experts, is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities.Members of the assembly are elected from a government-screened list of candidates by...
are held every six years. Mayors will be elected by popular vote for once in 2010. All candidates have to be approved by the Guardian Council
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
. See Politics of Iran
Politics of Iran
The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is...
for more details.
Until January 2007, when it was raised to 18, the voting age
Voting age
A voting age is a minimum age established by law that a person must attain to be eligible to vote in a public election.The vast majority of countries in the world have established a voting age. Most governments consider that those of any age lower than the chosen threshold lack the necessary...
was 15 years, the lowest globally at the time.
2009 presidential election
The 2009 Iranian presidential election was held on 12 June 2009 in IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, the tenth presidential election to be held in the country. The President of Iran
President of Iran
The President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
is the highest official elected by direct, popular vote, but does not control foreign policy or the armed forces. Candidates have to be vetted by the Guardian Council
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
, a twelve member body consisting of six clerics (selected by Iran's Supreme Leader), and six lawyers (proposed by the head of Iran's judicial system and voted in by the Parliament).
With two-thirds of the votes counted, the Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamic Republic News Agency
The Islamic Republic News Agency , or IRNA, is the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is government-funded and controlled under the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The agency also publishes the newspaper Iran. , the Managing Director of IRNA is Ali Akbar...
, Iran's official news agency, announced that the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won the election with 66% of the votes cast, while Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election...
received 33% of the votes cast. The opposition candidates disputed the results amid widespread speculations of vote rigging and sought a re-election with due process; this was followed by popular street protests and its subsequent crackdown by the government. The European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
said it was "concerned about alleged irregularities" during the vote, and some analysts and journalists from United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
based media expressed doubts about the authenticity of the results.
An alleged official letter by the Ministry of Interior, addressed to the Supreme Spiritual Leader Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
, presented completely different results. According to this letter, reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election...
would have won the first round with about 19 million votes, followed by the other reformist candidate Mehdi Karrubi with about 13 million votes. Incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would have obtained only 5.6 million votes.
2008 parliamentary election
Victory of the Principalists (58.6%). Defeat of the Reformists (15.8%), of whom 90% were barred from running on the grounds that they were not sufficiently loyal to the regime.Participation (first round of the elections): 47% of those eligible to vote (27% in Tehran).
Participation (second round of the elections): 8% in Tehran.
External links
- 2009 Iranian elections page on BBC Persian
- BBC Persian on Iran presidential elections
- Video Archive of Iranian Elections
- Adam Carr's Election Archive
- The Network of iranian law in persian, english & french
- Constitutional law in french
- Iranian law in english
- Iranian law in french
- Iran Electoral Archive