Ahmadinejad Support Fading?

[TheMMAn]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...ory?id=2733722

Ahmadinejad Opponents Leading Iran Elections

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI

TEHRAN, Iran Dec 18, 2006 (AP)— Opponents of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took an early lead in key races in Iran's local elections, according to partial results announced Monday, with moderate conservatives winning control of councils across Iran.

If the final results hold especially in the bellwether capital, Tehran it will be an embarrassment to Ahmadinejad, whose anti-Israeli rhetoric and unyielding position on Iran's nuclear program have provoked condemnation in the West and moves toward sanctions at the U.N. Security Council.

A freelance Iranian journalist of reformist sympathies, Iraj Jamshidi, described the vote as "a blow to Ahmadinejad," who was elected in June 2005.

"After a year, Iranians have seen the consequences of the extremist policies employed by Ahmadinejad. Now, they have said a big 'no' to him," said Jamshidi.

The incomplete results announced by the Interior Ministry suggested that the winners were mostly moderate conservatives opposed to the hardline president, rather than reformists. Final results

In the key race for Tehran, candidates supporting Mayor Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, a moderate conservative opposed to the president, had taken the lead.

The Interior Ministry said only about 500,000 votes had been counted so far in Tehran, about 20 percent of the expected turnout. Final results, however, were released from all municipal districts outside the capital.

In the southern historical city of Shiraz, as well as in the provincial capitals of Rasht, northern Iran, and Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, not one pro-Ahmadinejad candidate won a seat on the city council.

The partial results also indicated, separately, that reformers might be making a partial comeback, after having been suppressed in the parliamentary elections of 2004 when many of their best candidates were barred from running.

In the elections for the Assembly of Experts, a conservative body of 86 senior clerics that monitors Iran's supreme leader and chooses his successor, opponents of the president also appeared to have done well. ......


While acknowledging that MA is only a figurehead, i think this does speak to the popularity of the issues espoused by Ol' Mahmoud.

It would be interesting to find out how many popular reformists were blocked from running this go-round. I wonder if the results would be more drastic with truly open elections.

Posted for discussion

[J-Fight]

I can't believe they would have somewhat clean elections there.

[LozanoJ1985]

next weeks news

Ahmadinejad opponent murdered

[TheMMAn]

Originally Posted by LozanoJ1985

next weeks news

Ahmadinejad opponent murdered

they've got to find them first

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1974334,00.html

[kartaron]

Originally Posted by Giant Steps

I can't believe they would have somewhat clean elections there.

The position has no power. They might as well be voting for dogcatcher.

[YourMaster]

Originally Posted by kartaron

The position has no power. They might as well be voting for dogcatcher.

There is great international influence, not as much national. There is a difference.

So..who are you rooting for, Ahmadinejad?

[YourMaster]

Originally Posted by LozanoJ1985

next weeks news

Ahmadinejad opponent murdered

Iran is a democrasy. Its not like Russia where Putin murders anyone he wants in full public view.

[piedra]

Iran is a theocracy not a democracy.

[kartaron]

Originally Posted by YourMaster

There is great international influence, not as much national. There is a difference.

So..who are you rooting for, Ahmadinejad?

One jew hating theocrat is as good as another.

[t-dizzle]

I can't wait to see him get bitched!! Just because he is such an asswipe. I'm sure whoever beats him will probably not be that much better. All of it doesn't really matter because

guardian council >>>>> president