Iran: Thousands of parliamentary candidates rejected Rouhani: A danger to democracy
Ahead of next month's election, the Radical Guardian Council ruled by many thousands of contenders - more than 90 legislators in office. "Great danger to democracy and national sovereignty," warned the president, whose bloc may lose the majority
Iran: Thousands of parliamentary candidates rejected Rouhani: A danger to democracy
Edit: Joy FellowIranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday warned of threats posed to the "democracy and national sovereignty" of the Islamic Republic after the disqualification of thousands of parliamentary candidates a few weeks before the election.
Rouhani’s moderate conservatives and their reformist allies are in a public outcry with the extremist governors ’council and ruled out thousands of candidates, including 92 legislators. The council, which oversees the election in Iran, said it has banned 9,500 potential candidates from running for a seat in Majlis, out of close to 14,500 people who have applied.
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during his Friday prayers in Tehran January 17, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)
Rouhani, whose political bloc fears losing his majority in parliament after the Feb. 21 election, said the disqualifications could cause elections to run "elsewhere" than at the polls. "The greatest danger to democracy and national sovereignty is the day when elections become just something official," Rouhani warned in a meeting with district governors. "I wish that Allah would not bring this day. Let us assure the citizens and tell them that our system is not a one-party system."
Hinting at the radical elements of the regime, the president said: "They should at least allow competition and participation." He called on all citizens to vote. "Maybe sometime I don't want to vote for some reason, but another time there may not be enough confidence to go to the polls. It's very dangerous." Disqualified candidates are allowed to appeal before the election, in light of Iran's tensions with the United States following the assassination of General Qassem Suleimani and the November crackdown on the protests in which hundreds of protesters were killed by human rights organizations.
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