When voters in Iran elect new local councils and a powerful clerical body known as the Assembly of Experts, will they send a message to Iranian President Mahmour Ahmadinejad? Will they let him know that Reformists are hoping for a comeback following comprehensive defeats by conservatives in recent years.
Hasan Alimardani, a Taxi driver, said, "I will vote for Ahmadinejad's supporters... We need to give him time to deliver on his promises." That's what we are all afraid of, Ahmadinejad delivering on his promises.
Both camps have run campaigns urging voters to turn out. Around 46.5 million Iranians are eligible to vote.
The BBC's Roger Hardy says there has traditionally been a low turn-out for the assembly elections, with many Iranians scarcely aware of its deliberations.
In theory, the Assembly of Experts is the most powerful body in Iran's complex network of religious institutions.
Its job is to elect, dismiss and supervise Iran's top political figure, the Supreme Leader - currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The reformists are barely present in the assembly race, because candidates must be passed by a conservative panel.
So analysts are watching to see whether the body will be dominated by conservatives aligned with Mr Ahmadinejad or pragmatists close to the former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, our correspondent adds. source
In other politics, 'Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called for early elections Saturday to end the stalemate in forming a unity government with Hamas.'
"I have decided to call for presidential and legislative elections," he said in an impassioned speech that was broadcast on television.
Abbas' announcement, in a speech at his West Bank headquarters, was met by loud applause from hundreds of supporters, The Associated Press reported.
Abbas said the people must be the moderators of what happens next in Palestinian politics.
"We need to lift the siege, everyone must work together to achieve this objective," the president said.
Hamas immediately rejected the idea, and it was not clear if the ruling party would participate in the elections, which Abbas said would take place within three months.
"This is a real coup against the democratically elected government," senior Hamas lawmaker Mushir al-Masri told the Reuters news agency. source
Some good reading from fellow bloggers:
Blogbat, Russia: The Empire Strikes Back
Sand in the Hourglass, Russia Using Energy As A Weapon And Energy To Get Weapons
Political Pistachio, A Political Pistachio Interview: Conservative Cowboy
Regime of Terror, What does Congressman-elect Chris Carney (D-Pennsylvania) know about Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda?
The HILL Chronicles, Tom Delay Rocks
Perri Nelson's Website, Civil War in Palestine?
Third World Country, A Fav Christmas Season Memory
The Florida Masochist, The Knucklehead of the Day Award
Jihadi Du Jour, Blogroll Buzz- Doug Hagmann and Dirty Bombs
Assorted Babble, Sen. Tim Johnson in Critical Condition after Surgery
Linked with
123Beta, Open Trackback Weekend
Woman Honor Thyself, Nostra Aetate Open Trackback Weekend
Stop the ACLU, Open Trackbacks
Church and State, Open Trackbacks
Other open trackback blogs:
Comments