The 11th Presidential Election in Iran (Pilihan Raya Presiden Iran ke-11)

Abstract

The political structure of Iran is a theocratic system based on Shia doctrine. The most powerful religious and political authority is a Shia religious authority known as the Supreme Leader. However, the head of government is a president elected through popular vote. So far eleven presidential elections have been held since the 1979 revolution. The eleventh presidential election was held on June 14, 2013. It was one of the most important presidential elections. It owed its importance to the previous controversial presidential election in 2009 which led to a wide popular uprising. More importantly, the eleventh presidential election was held amid tensions among different political streams within the political system. Based on primary and some secondary sources, this paper looks at the Iranian electoral laws, the candidates, their campaigns, voting, the election result and the wider significance of the eleventh presidential election. It specifically answers the following questions: what was the importance of the eleventh presidential election? What were the electoral laws, institutions and procedures for the presidential election in Iran? How was the presidential election conducted? What role do presidential elections play in the Iranians’ quest for democracy? This paper finds that although the election results received welcome by Iranians, there are significant flaws in the Iranian electoral system which casts doubt on the credibility of the elections being held in Iran. In particular, there were series of events during the eleventh presidential election which affected its natural outcome. Finally, this paper discovers that despite the conservatives’ paean, the presidential election was a major setback for them.

Keywords: Election; Iran; Presidency; electoral law; Guardian Council

ABSTRAK

Struktur politik di Iran adalah sistem teokratik yang berlandaskan doktrin Syiah. Kuasa agama dan politik paling kuat di Iran ialah daripada pihak berkuasa keagamaan Syiah yang juga dikenali sebagai Pemimpin Agung. Walau bagaimanapun, ketua kerajaannya adalah presiden yang dipilih melalui undian paling banyak. Setakat ini sebelas pilihan raya telah diadakan sejak revolusi 1979. Pilihan raya kesebelas telah diadakan pada 14 Jun 2013 dan merupakan salah satu pilihan raya yang paling penting kerana pilihan raya yang dilaksanakan pada tahun 2009 membawa kepada pemberontakan. Apa yang lebih penting lagi, pilihan raya kesebelas telah diadakan di tengah-tengah ketegangan aliran politik yang berbeza dalam sistem politik Iran. Berdasarkan sumber primer dan sekunder, makalah ini melihat kepada undang-undang pilihan raya Iran, calon-calon, kempen, undian, keputusan pilihan raya dan signifikan daripada pilihan raya tersebut. Secara khususnya makalah ini menjawab persoalan berikut: Apakah kepentingan pilihan raya presiden kesebelas? Apakah undang-undang pilihan raya, institusi dan prosidur pilihan raya yang dilaksanakan di Iran? Bagaimanakah pilihan raya presiden dijalankan? Apakah peranan yang dimainkan oleh pilihan raya presiden dalam usaha Iran untuk demokrasi? Makalah ini mendapati bahawa walaupun keputusan pilihan raya mendapat sambutan oleh rakyat Iran, namun terdapat kelemahan ketara yang menimbulkan keraguan terhadap sistem dan kredibiliti pilihan raya yang diadakan. Khususnya, terdapat peristiwa semasa pilihan raya presiden dijalankan yang menjejaskan keputusan pilihanraya. Akhirnya, makalah ini menemui bahawa disebalik kemenangan konsevatif, pilihan raya Presiden adalah satu tamparan kepada mereka.

Kata kunci: Pilihan raya; Iran; Presiden; undang-undang pilihan raya; Guardian Council

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/akad-2014-8403-04