The conservative coalition of the extremist United Front of Principlists (UFP) and more traditional Inclusive Coalition of Principlists (ICP) swept the second round of Iran’s parliamentary elections. The results announced today show the conservatives captured 10 out of 11 contested seats in Tehran and will have nearly 80% of the seats in the new Majlis.
The moderates and the reformists have been handed their worst parliamentary defeat. The Coalition of Reformist Groups and the National Confidence Party will end up capturing about 16% of the seats in the 8th Majlis. Only one of their candidates, Ali Reza Mahjoub, was elected in Tehran. The government disqualified many of the better-known reformist and moderate candidates to stand for election which partly explained the poor showing of the reformist parties.
The conservative-controlled parliament is not expected to be wholeheartedly supportive of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The more traditional conservatives in ICP bloc are expected to form alliance with the reformists to challenge the government on many issues, including the monetary policies that have given rise to a growing and seemingly out-of-control inflation and the resulting public discontent.
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