As the United States and major Western powers continue to struggle with numerous issues worldwide, particularly in the Middle East, the Syrian Civil War, and the continuing problem that North Korea poses with its instability, a ray of hope may have appeared in the last few weeks as the Iranian people went to the polls on February 26th, 2016 and elected new representatives to their parliament. Early results show that “moderates, also known as reformists” may have had a big day.

“If the moderates in the Assembly of Experts have their way, the next Supreme leader will favor the expansion of the democratic freedoms and greater openness of the West” Ali Akbar Dareini of the AP said in an interview regarding the election.

The Assembly of Experts that Mr. Dareini is referring to is an important part of the governing process in Iran as they are the body that is in charge of supervising Supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who has the most power in the country.

“Whoever like Iran and its dignity, greatness and glory should vote” Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said, attempting to use his position to get a high turnout. According to available stats so far, 62% of the Iranian population turned out which is one of the highest turnouts in recent elections for Iran.

The challenge to the status quo of the Iranian government is a victory for opponents, for in a country in 2009 saw an uprising against then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (also known as the Green movement), which was ultimately crushed and suppressed by government forces.

According to the early results so far, the Pervasive Coalition of Reformists, a group which is allied with the reform movement in Iran, has won 28.62% of the vote, which translates to an increase in 51 seats and 83 seats total won in parliament.

“The people showed their power once again and gave more credibility and strength to their elected government” Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani said. President Rouhani is a member of the Moderation and Development party.

President Rouhani was able to ride a wave of success in the run up to the election, which culminated in the nuclear deal last year with Western powers and got numerous economic sanctions lifted that many hope will help the struggling economy. 25% of the Iranian population is unemployed.

“It is very good news for President Rouhani. We will have a very rational parliament, a less factional parliament, a more expert and technocrat parliament” Saeed Leylaz who is a former adviser to the reformist President Mohammad Khatami said.

Other parties included the Principlists Coalition who won 22.06% of the vote, which translates to 64 seats won, and also the People’s Voice Coalition who won 3.44% of the vote and 10 total seats won.

The success of the election can also be seen as through a historical context as the people of Iran have gone to the polls despite the crackdown on the opposition movement in 2009, and the rigid structure in the way that the government has been set up since the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

“The election winners will do their best to protect Iran’s dignity, power and Independence, resolve the main issues for society and the people, and defeat the global arrogance by their awareness and wisdom” the Islamic Revolutionary guard said in a statement, the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard said in a statement endorsing the election results and referring to major Western powers in the statement.

In the end, it is an important and crucial election result for the people of Iran to use the power of democracy to affect their country’s role in the world, one which is seen right now by outside powers as mainly negative, to make a positive change in their country through the democratic process.

Links to sources:

1. Bloomberg View Link: https://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2016-02-29/iran-s-elections-are-magic
2. Reuters Link: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-election-vote-idUSKCN0VZ0E7
3. The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/03/iran-election-results-winner/472128/
4. BBC Profile of President Rouhani: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-22886729
5. BBC Iran Election Result: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-3566610