‘Ahmadinejad is the Losing Party’: Iranian President Faces Major Setback After Parliamentary Elections
- Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:05pm by
Erica Ritz
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(The Blaze/AP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad‘s support in Iran’s parliament crumbled as final results released Saturday showed conservative rivals consolidating their hold on the legislative body in a runoff vote.
Iran has touted a robust turnout for Friday‘s vote as a show of support for the country’s religious leadership in its confrontation with the West over the Islamic Republic’s controversial nuclear program.
The result is also a new humiliation for Ahmadinejad, whose political decline started last year with his bold but failed challenge of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the choice of intelligence chief.
While usually in agreement with the conservatives on foreign policy and many other issues, he had tried to change the rules of the political game in Iran, where the president and legislature are subordinate to religious figures like Khamenei.
Ahmadinejad’s opponents had already won an outright majority in the 290-member legislature in the first round of voting in March. Of 65 seats for grabs in Friday’s runoff election, Ahmadinejad‘s opponents won 41 while the president’s supporters got only 13 seats. Independents won 11, according to final results reported Saturday by state media.
The president’s supporters had their best showing in the capital Tehran. Ahmadinejad’s conservatives critics won 16 seats while his supporters took nine.
However, Iran’s major reformist parties– which oppose both Ahmadinejad and the conservatives– mostly did not field candidates.
The new parliament will begin its sessions in late May. It has no direct control over key foreign and security policy matters like Iran’s nuclear program, but it can influence those issues and economic policies as well as the run-up to the election of Ahmadinejad’s successor. Ahmadinejad is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive four-year term and must step down in 2013.
The results suggest Ahmadinejad will face a more belligerent parliament in the remaining time of his second four-year term in office that ends August 2013. His allies are likely to be ousted from key posts, and his plan to cut economic subsidies challenged.
No final figures were released, but Iran’s media has claimed that the turnout Saturday matched that of the initial round of voting on March 2, when 64 percent of voters reportedly cast ballots.
“Mass turnout in runoff parliamentary elections,” declared a front-page headline in the government-run Iran Daily.
Iranian leaders have showcased the high voter turnout as a sign of trust in the clerical-led system and rejection of Western pressure over the nuclear issue. The West suspects Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and is demanding that Iran stop uranium enrichment. Iran has refused, saying its program is aimed at power generation and cancer treatment.
“The vote is support for the ruling system as it faces the U.S. and its allies over the nuclear program … The vote also means that tensions will increase between Ahmadinejad and his opponents in the incoming parliament,” political analyst Ali Reza Khamesian said.
Khamesian said Ahmadinejad was gradually fading from Iran’s political scene but could still stir up conflict with parliament.
“Ahmadinejad is the losing party. So, he will try to create tensions in the hope of getting concessions,” he said.
The outgoing parliament and Ahmadinejad are at loggerheads over how quickly to slash food and energy subsidies. The president favors dramatic cuts to boost Iran’s ailing economy by reducing the massive drain on the state budget from the subsidies.
The government implemented a first phase of slashing subsidies in December 2010. Gasoline prices quadrupled and bread prices tripled after the cuts came into effect. Prices have also increased in recent months, partly as a result of sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program, as well as news that the government is considering ending subsidies altogether.
Parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, one of Ahmadinejad’s opponents, said the parliament won’t allow him to quickly end the remaining subsidies because it would cause wild inflation and public dissatisfaction.
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Comments (61)
EP46
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 5:14am“The new parliament will begin its sessions in late May. It has no direct control over key foreign and security policy matters like Iran’s nuclear program”
America sits back and waits to see if Israel will save us from a nuclear attack by Iran.
America‘s foreign policy is ’fair share’….this includes nuclear weapons.
Report Post »oldsoldier10
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 7:54amno no no it is not “fair share,” it’s fare shariah. The Unites Sates Islamic Republic as presided over by Sharif McO’Bama the first wh ite bla ck Irish, musl im dictator wants to spread the wealth. Fare Shariah ensure all the bolld and treasure fo the fromer USA is evenly devided by the new Califate. Yea to tyranny!
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 1:38amIran has a system of government that is alien to the system we have here. The religion of Islam runs that Country. Can we even relate to any religion being the final Court of Appeal, as our Supreme Court is here?
I’m sadden by the fate of the women and female children that are born under these religious hierarchies where the males have all the privileges and rights, and the females have none.
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 4:44amLess than none, Diane, sadly.
Still there are some courageous women. This one is particularly brave. It is worth watching all the way through. If there are more women like her then there is hope yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OzfUT38LVxU#
And there is this one, a well known Pakistani entertainer letting a nasty Imam have it in no uncertain terms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMnAmRa4NYw&feature=related
I’ve posted these before, but I post them again in case you haven’t seen them. They will gladden your heart.
Make sure no-one else is around as you may end up cheering and “hollering” as you Americans say.
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 5:30am“Less than none” meaning that instead of having no rights, a zero position, they are actually in a negative position.
They are property. They are raped without fear of retribution to the rapist, they are disfigured or murdered by their own family with no retribution befalling the bestial murderer (which the Koran not only permits but proscribes), and, if they are fortunate enough to escape these fates, they are still imprisoned, married off while still children, and suffer abuse and torment throughout their lives.
It simply sickens the heart of any civilised person.
Thank God the western world is beginning to see this vicious, primitive cult for what it really is.
Report Post »zoro51
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 1:07amwho cares about MURDERING MUSLUMS they all belong in HELL watch n see HOW syria n iran will be distroyed n become a WASTE LAND.. ther IS no ALLAH only SHEOL for all murdering muslums
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 5:35amWhat’s Sheol?
Report Post »marybethelizabeth
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:52pmAnd Glenn Beck is proved wrong again.
The truth is that Iranians thought Ahmadinejad was a rube, a country bumpkin, an embarrassment, with his crazy fundamentalist religious beliefs.
Sort of like the younger George Bush.
So they made up a guy for you to hate. War for Peace.
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 1:02amThe truth is Khamenei and his clerics see Ahmadnutjob as a weak president, unable to contain the riots that exposed the Iranian regime’s barbaric nature to the rest of the world.
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 6:52am@Mary ‘scuse me ma’am, but your bigotry is showing. Sorta like Elizabeth Warrens.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:29pmThis may lead to the hob opening obama really wants..
Report Post »spirited
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:16pmHas the useful idiot ended his usefulness?
8^O Parliment –lol
Report Post »db321
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:23pmThe very same thing is happening to the Reverse Midas Touch and Chief – the problem is that the Media keeps reporting that Obama is doing great and everything is Bush’s fault!
Report Post »RamonPreston
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:15pmA war with Israel might get his ratings back up. The old “Don’t change horses in the middle of a stream” approach.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:08pmAyatollah Ali Khamenei really runs things though…to change out Ahmadinejad with some “new” guy would only cause a new round of talkng & bribing while they continue their trek towards nuclear weapons.
I read a WWII account many years ago stating that Hitler was never targeted for assassination by the allies because –even though he was an evil monster– he was a “predictable” evil monster who would eventually implode. To kill him would have meant a complete change in strategy on both sides and possibly a replacement with the military skills to delay the wars end, if not reverse the outcome.
Replace Ahmadinejad?…careful what you wish for.
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 1:10am@The_Almighty_Creestof
Report Post »I read a WWII account many years ago stating that Hitler was never targeted for assassination by the allies because –even though he was an evil monster– he was a “predictable” evil monster who would eventually implode.
—–
Whoever said that is either mighty stupid or outright lying. A lot of people tried to kill Hitler. If that moron could ask any of the patriots who lived through the Nazi Occupation if they were just waiting for Hitler to “implode,” they would have spit in his face.
MCDAVE
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 11:18pmI believe Creestof is correct ,The allies deemed it better to leave Hitler in place…There were however many attempts to kill him by his own military,who could see his madness..Even Erwin Rommel,who was executed for his part in a failed attempt..
Report Post »spfoam1
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:51pmLook at this guy and tell me who really comes from pigs and monkeys.
Report Post »Puddle Duck
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:51pmHe’s the original “soup nazi”……
Report Post »AllAmericanGirl22
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:32pmI think I saw on GBTV awhile back that his fist election looked like he had no chance of winning and all of a sudden he surprisingly won. So he’ll most likely just cheat anyways.
Report Post »RamonPreston
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:40pmStarting a war with Israel will get him back in there.
Report Post »Unix
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 6:57pmAck-My-Dinner-Jacket is stained…I hope he thrown to the ditch via the vote and regular Iranians wake up to his evil.
Report Post »Magyar
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 6:54pmEver see a more convincing face of EVIL!?
Report Post »Puddle Duck
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:54pmUnfortunately yes….Obongo’s mug and that gas bag hag of the Commicrats, Pelosi.
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 6:44pmThe ‘tollahs will show him who’s boss
Report Post »Coonrapids
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:36pmDo they have a retirement program or does he get the firing squad and the 24, 43 76, what ever virgins?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:58pmIn Iran… the Party that Wins… is the Party in charge of Vote Counting!
Report Post »cantbelieveallthisgarbagecouldhappenwhodoislap
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:40pmIts the same in the usa,and with unions counting votes I have no faith in our votes being fairly
Report Post »justangry
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:44pmWe have the issue to worry about ourselves.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:45pm@Cantbelieve… Check again. Our votes will be counted by a Spanish company connected to Soros, appoved by the FEC.
Report Post »AmazingGrace8
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:26pmAgree…lukerw,can’t & just. And then the Acorn (or whatever they call themselves these days) crowd. Of all the things that have happened in this country in the 3.5 yrs, never in my wildest-dream would I think there would be corruption in the voting system. Scary stuff! Why is another country counting our votes? I shake my head and say, it doesn’t have to be this way….this country was so strong & productive when I was growing up and like, I have mentioned before, the Clinton years made this country go in another direction and the young just shrugged their shoulders and stuck our their hands and said, “gimme,gimme,gimmie”.
Report Post »Have a nice evening everyone. Don’t get too “Moon-Struck! If you do, slap your face and say, “Get-Over-It”!!!
Individualism
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:42pmlike in America
Report Post »nocomment
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:51pmI’M CONFUSED… IS THIS STORY ‘GOOD ON YOU’ OR ‘DOOM ON YOU’?
Whatever… sick of bearded people who scream a lot.
Report Post »vox_populi
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:48pmNeither, really. It’s just Iranian conservatives vs. Iranian conservatives. Pretty much everyone loses.
Report Post »c0mm0nsense
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:43pmYes, kinda like Obama Vs. Romney
Report Post »cassandra
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:44pmthis little street sweeper needs to go ! but if more muslim brotherhood gets hold whats the difference ?
Report Post »ritamweep
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:42pmhttp://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57428067-83/fbi-we-need-wiretap-ready-web-sites-now/?tag=mncol;morePosts
‘CNET learns the FBI is quietly pushing its plan to force surveillance backdoors on social networks, VoIP, and Web e-mail providers, and that the bureau is asking Internet companies not to oppose a law making those backdoors mandatory.’
Yea or Nay?
Report Post »KidCharlemagne
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:33pmSoviet Union on steroids…
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:45pmThey already have some going through facebook you don’t think that little button on websites is harmless do you ?
Report Post »Ingenious plan bypasses firewalls encryption and anything else you have.
MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:46pmAnd Microsoft is up to no good on the hardware end of things.
Report Post »Ravings of a lunatic planet
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:30pmWow, I’m confused. Ditto on is this good or bad? I don’t see any difference in opinion with these kooks.
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:29pmI sill believe AhmaJimmyCarter’sDad was one of the Iranian hostage takers, but anyways… I don’t see any real change within this country based on this event. “Off with his head” would be a fitting tribute to AhmaJimmyCater’sDad IMO.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:58pmI am with you TIME_2………he was one of the hostage takers, the WH knew that too. He was then and still is bessie bug crazy.
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:25pm“Bessie bug crazy?” Lol. First I’ve heard that one!!!!
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:29pmHope this man can understand that after awhile all those poop hole countries seem blurred into one as much as we deal with them. I call this man a libyan and he is Iranian. He probably does not even know the difference either.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:27pmSo he is Iranian, not Lybian. Such is the story of my typing and thinking when they get together. Sorry, my mistake (now that is a mistake.)
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:25pmSee, cuteness don’t count Ladies. He looks more manly than Obama. Maybe Obama would like to go there and slip in as a Lybian (is that correct?.) He may have had some practice. He could take his crew over there and really be somebody. He already tipped his hand here. His hippies are winding down and his people out on the street have another party or two to attend, so his numbers are dwindling. Michael Moore can always get himself one of those teeny bopper dress like robes and put his junior high school hat on top of a turban, or whatever those head pieces are called. Al Sharpton and Farakhan could do their rolling skits as Bagdad Bob and they could all just take off and be somebody.
Report Post »Obama already has a big stick to beat the women folk with. Obama could buy her a rhinestone camel saddle and some long-lashed camel and just cool in in a tent. Things could really go good for them there. I just wannt say ‘Byeeeeee now” to the first folks, (at least that is who they are supposed to be.)
Al J Zira
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:25pmThis idiot lost the last election yet somehow retained his position. Elections in Iran are a joke even if Jimmy Carter says they’re more fair than ours. But who listens to Jimmy Carter?
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:34pmYou.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 5:59pmExplain.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:24pmWe shall see what happens.
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 4:10pmIs this good or bad?
Report Post »Puddle Duck
Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:05pmMakes little difference since the real power lies with the Islamic council ruled by a few ruthless mullahs. The rebirth of radical Islam started with the revolution in Iran back 78-79 on Jimmy Carters watch. We have been dealing with the fall out from that ever since. I just wonder what new horrors await us after the 1 term of obongo is over…I have a feeling it’ll be an entire block of N Africa and major parts of the middle east directed by Iran and arrayed against the West (and Israel).
Report Post »Moshy1
Posted on May 6, 2012 at 9:46am@ Puddleduck It wasn’t just that the Islamic Revolution happened “on Carter’s watch” Carter actively enabled the revolution by allowing (perhaps even ordering) the removal of the Shah in the same way that Obama is now actively supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and the so-called Arab spring.
Report Post »