The recent proposal by a senior Iranian politician for a constitutional change has revived the debate around the possibility of introducing a parliamentary government system to the Islamic Republic. Proposals for constitutional changes have been raised on several occasions over the past decade, and the complex relations between the last four presidents and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have encouraged initiatives designed to pave the way for a replacement of the presidential system with a parliamentary system. Although these proposals...
Experts, political activists, and Iranian media have recently warned of increased Iranian emigration. While emigration is not new, the renewed discussion of the phenomenon and its ramifications provides further evidence of the growing sense of despair among the Iranian public, especially the younger generation. Factors contributing to this sentiment in recent years include the collapse of the nuclear deal, the renewal of the sanctions, the heightened economic crisis, and the disappointment at President Rouhani’s failure to...
The proposed government of incoming Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reflects a significant change in the political balance of power in the executive branch, and heralds a return to hardline control over all branches of government. The government’s composition indicates Raisi’s intention of taking a tougher line than the previous government in both internal affairs and foreign policy, although overall strategy in Iran is in the hands of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. While like previous administrations Raisi’s proposed...
For weeks Iran has weathered demonstrations, mainly in protest against the growing shortages of water and electricity, and against the background of the prolonged economic crisis and the spread of the coronavirus delta variant. To date, protests are limited and do not pose an immediate threat to the regime. At the same time, the demonstrations highlight the depth of the despair and frustration among the public, which in turn will continue to feed additional waves of protest. This situation poses a significant challenge to Ebrahim...
The victory of Ebrahim Raisi in Iran’s presidential elections has reawakened the internal debate among Iranian reformists concerning the state and future of the reform movement. A number of leading reformists are blaming the movement’s failure on mistaken strategy, and are calling for change, return to the movement’s fundamental principles, and restoration of its base of public support. On the other hand, others are blaming the failure on circumstances beyond the reformists’ control, and continue to support a...
The decision by Iran’s Guardian Council to disqualify the vast majority of the candidates in the coming presidential elections, including former speaker of the Majlis Ali Larijani, and Eshaq Jahangiri, First Vice-President under President Rouhani, in effect leaves the hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi as the only candidate with real chances of winning the elections. This decision is another reflection of the regime’s efforts to strengthen the conservative hegemony in the political elite, especially in advance of the struggle over...
