1996 Iranian legislative election
Parliamentary elections were held in Iran on 8 March 1996, with a second round on 19 April.[2] The Combatant Clergy Association and its allies emerged as the largest bloc in the Majlis, winning 110 of the 270 seats.[2] Electoral systemThe constitution approved in a December 1979 referendum provided for a 270-seat Majlis, with five seats reserved for minority groups including Jews, Zorastrians, Armenians from the north and south of the country and one jointly elected by Assyrians and Chaldeans.[3] The elections were conducted using a two-round system, with the number of candidates progressing to the second round being double the number of seats available. Candidates required an absolute majority to win a seat in the first round, and plurality to win in the second round.[3] However, in this election, minimum percentages for candidates to be elected in first round was lowered to 33.33% (one-third of votes). CampaignA total of 3,726 candidates contested the elections, including around 326 women.[3] 145 seats were won in the first round of voting.[4] Main groups contesting in the elections were:[5]
15 Freedom Movement members presented themselves as candidates and only 4 of them made it through initial vetting, 3 of whom were excluded before polling day. The organization announced its intention to withdraw from the election. The election was boycotted by the National Front and Nation Party.[6] ResultsBoth conservatives and reformers claimed a 70 percent majority after the first round and also claimed independents as supporters.[7]
According to Salam, Executives of Construction and Imam's Line Groups won shared 120 parliamentary seats.[8]
AftermathThe newly elected members of Majlis met for the first time on 1 June.[4] Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri remained in Speaker position until 2000 after he received 11 more votes than Abdullah Nouri (also a cleric). References
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