Iran election results cause major setback for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has suffered a major setback after his supporters fared badly in Iranian parliamentary elections.

Supporters of the populist president were relegated to a small fraction of the parliament, hugely outnumbered by the conservatives closely linked with the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Results announced by the Interior Ministry showed the United Principilist Front, closely linked with Khamenei and critical of Ahmadinejad, in the lead, with the hardline Resistance Front of the Islamic Revolution close behind.

The Resistance Front also backs Khamenei but some of its members have served under Ahmadinejad and still support him.

Of 65 seats for grabs in Friday’s runoff election, Ahmadinejad’s final results are expected later on Saturday.

As in the first round, parties directly aligned with Ahmadinejad did not fare well. His opponents won 20 while the president’s supporters won only eight seats. Independents had a strong showing, winning 11 seats so far, which may help the president in what is expected to be a tough final year in office.

Results for the rest, including the capital Tehran are expected later on Saturday. About nine Ahmadinejad supporters are likely to win seats in Tehran where they were in a neck-and-neck race. The president’s opponents are almost certain to win the remaining 16 seats.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may…hmadinejad

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