Who are the main contenders to be Iran’s next president?
After the death of the puritanical president, Iran’s reformists hope to win a slice of power
AFTER THREE years of ruthless hardline government under Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s 61m voters once again have a choice for president. Ahead of Iran’s snap presidential election, scheduled for June 28th, the Islamic Republic’s electoral-vetting body approved six candidates: three hardliners, two pragmatic conservatives and a reformer. Given that the first five are likely to split the traditionalist vote, a good turnout might even propel a reformist back into the presidency. The helicopter crash that killed Raisi on May 19th “could re-energise Iranian politics”, says a political observer in the capital, Tehran.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “A slender hope of change”
From the June 15th 2024 edition
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