The reformists used to give up when their candidates were disqualified or defeated in the first round - now they ask voters to depart tactical. The remaining parliamentary seats are up for grab next weekAfter the February surprise when Iran’s reformers ingeniously outmanoeuvred the fundamentalists,Iran’s 2016 elections fill fallen off the global media’s radar screen. However, a crucial second round of voting on 29 April is approaching for 64 parliamentary seats in districts all around the country. These are the places that were too close to call in February, and when 226 out of 290 seats were decided.
All seats for metropolitan Tehran are filled – although there will be polling in three of its satellite cities – and most of the rush-offs are in small towns,scattered around 18 of Iran’s 31 provinces. The races are lively, proving that Iran’s provinces, or even if rarely visited by Tehranis much less foreigners,are no longer mired in myopic local rivalries. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com