Elections in Iran

Last week I drawed your attention to the elections of the European Parliament. This week I would like to foccuss on the elections in Iran. The two running candidates, current president Mahmoed Ahmadinedjad and his opponent Mir Hossein Moesabi have both called themselves out as winner of the elections claiming that they both scored 60% of the votes. Ahmadinedjad was backed by Iran's state runs news agency, while Moussavi said that he won and pointed out to voting irregularities. On Saturday morning the Election commission said that with 77% percent of the votes counted, Ahmadinedjad had won 65% of the votes. But the election commission is part of the Interior Ministry which is in the hands of Ahmadinedjad. Fraud is a majour concern to Moussavi. More updated news on the elections you can find through the following website: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/world/middleeast/13iran.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

The whole election process has been a very emotional and historical one with long waiting lines of people going out to vote and a big turn-up among youngsters and women. Moussavi can count on the support of the intellectuals, young people and members of the moderate establishment while Ahmadinedjad draws his support from the poor, rural Iranians and conservatives.

Ayatollay Khoemeini, who has final authority over affairs of state, could be the only one to mediate between the two candidates. But in this phase of uncertainty and fairness of the elections, he will also have to wait what the coming days bring. President Obama has praised Iran for the inner debate and sees this as a coming of change to Iran.

More news to follow!