Democracy assistance & elections news from the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS)
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Election Profile:

Flag of Iran Source for election date

At stake in this election:

  • 285 seats in the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami)

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini- KHAMENEI *
  • Head of Government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD
  • Assembly: Iran has a unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami) with 290 seats.

* The Leader of the Islamic Revolution is appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts.

Description of electoral system:

  • The Leader of the Islamic Revolution is appointed.
  • The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 4-year term.
  • In the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami) 290 members are elected by qualified plurality vote to serve 4-year terms.***

*** 5 seats are reserved for religious minorities.

Main parties in the Second Round of the electoral race:

  • Bloc: Reformist Coalition / اصلاح طلبان Eslâh-Talibân
    Leader: Mostafa KAVAKEBIAN
    Seats won in this election: 20
    Seats won in last election: 39
  • Bloc: United Front of Conservatives / ; E'telāf-e Ābādgarān-e Īrān-e Eslām
    Leader: Ali LARIJANI
    Seats won in this election: 52
    Seats won in last election: 156
  • Independent(s): Independents
    Leader: N/A
    Seats won in this election: 10
    Seats won in last election: 95

Main parties in the First Round of the electoral race:

  • Bloc: Reformist Coalition / اصلاح طلبان Eslâh-Talibân
    Leader: Mostafa KAVAKEBIAN
    Seats won in this election: 31
    Seats won in last election: 39
  • Bloc: The United Front of Conservatives / ائتلاف آبادگران ایران اسلامی; E'telāf-e Ābādgarān-e Īrān-e Eslām
    Leader: Ali LARIJANI
    Seats won in this election: 143
    Seats won in last election: 156
  • Independent(s): Independents
    Leader: N/A
    Seats won in this election: 29
    Seats won in last election: 95

Population and number of registered voters:

  • Population: 65,875,224 (July 2008 est.)
  • Registered Voters: 49,000,000 (March 2008 There is no voter registration in Iran)

Last Updated on 01/24/2012

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