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IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF)
Majles Shoraye Eslami (Islamic Parliament of Iran)

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Oversight and Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majles Shoraye Eslami / Islamic Parliament of Iran
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Unicameral
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1930 -1939
1949 -1979
1981 -
LEADERSHIP
President Ali Ardeshir Larijani (M) 
Notes Elected on 1 June 2008, re-elected on 27 May 2009, 26 May 2010, 25 May 2011, 5 June 2012, 28 May 2013, 25 May 2014, 26 May 2015, 31 May 2016, 31 May 2017 and 30 May 2018.
Secretary General Gholamreza Nourighezeljeh (M) 
Notes Appointed on 28 June 2018.
Mr. Gholamreza Nourighezeljeh, Deputy Speaker for Administrative Affairs in Parliament, holds the post of Secretary General.
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 290 / 289
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


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Women (current number) 17 (5.88%)
Mode of designation directly elected 285
other 5
Notes Other: Five seats are reserved for the following minorities.
Zoroastrians: 1
Jews: 1
Assyrian and Chaldean Christians: 1
Armenian Christians in the north of the country: 1
Armenian Christians in the south of the country: 1
Term 4 years
Last renewal dates 26 February 2016
29 April 2016 (View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address Majles Shoraye Eslami
Baharestan Square
TEHERAN
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (9821) 33440 236
Fax (9821) 33440 309 (International Department)
33440 236
E-mail hashemi110@yahoo.com
tarjoman_2020@yahoo.com
IPUgroup@parliran.ir
Website
https://en.parliran.ir/
https://fr.parliran.ir/
https://www.parliran.ir/
https://ar.parliran.ir/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majles Shoraye Eslami / Islamic Parliament of Iran
Structure of parliament Unicameral
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 28 February 1984
Last amendment: 28 Nov. 1999
Mode of designation directly elected 285
other 5
Constituencies 207 single or multi-member constituencies.
Voting system Majority: Two-Round System (TRS)
- In order to be elected, a candidate must, in his/her constituency, obtain at least 25% of the votes cast in the first round and a simple majority in the second. The number of candidates who may run in the second round is restricted to those in the lead and to twice the number of seats to be filled in the constituency concerned. If the number is less than double, all remaining candidates may run. If those remaining are equal to or less than the number of unfilled seats, the second round is not held and the results of the first ballot are conclusive.
- One seat each is reserved for the following minorities: Zoroastrians; Jews; Assyrian and Chaldean Christians; Armenian Christians in the north of the country; and Armenian Christians in the south of the country.
- Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections. No by-elections are, however, held within the last year of the legislature's term, unless the total number of filled Assembly seats falls below 200.
- Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - age: 18 years
- Iranian citizenship
- disqualifications: insanity
CANDIDATES
Eligibility Qualified electors
- age: 30 to 75 years
- Iranian citizenship
- belief in and active obligation to Islam and the system prevailing in the country (candidates of religious minorities exempted from obligation to Islam)
- pledged faithfulness to the Constitution
- sufficient literacy
- physical well-being
- ineligibility: persons who played leading roles in strengthening the former (pre-Islamic) regime, large landowners, persons belonging to illegal groups, those convicted of action against the State or apostasy, drug addicts
Incompatibilities - President of the Republic and his counsellors
- Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and their advisers
- members of the Council of Guardians
- members of the High Judicial Council
- Head of the Administrative Court of Justice
- Head of General Inspection
- certain public officials and religious leaders
- members of the armed forces
Candidacy requirements (data unavailable)

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majles Shoraye Eslami / Islamic Parliament of Iran
Structure of parliament Unicameral
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to)26 February 2016
29 April 2016
Timing and scope of renewal The Universal Coalition of Reformists ("List of Hope"), mainly comprising moderate conservatives and reformists (see note 1), fared well in elections to parliament and the Assembly of Experts (see note 2). Led by former Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, it took over 120 seats in the two rounds of parliamentary elections. The Grand Coalition of Principle-ists (comprising hardline conservatives, or "principle-ists"), led by former Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel, won over 80 seats, though Mr. Haddad-Adel himself lost his seat. A record 17 women were elected.

During the election campaign, many candidates promised to support greater economic development. Around half of the potential candidates were disqualified by the Guardian Council prior to the election.

The 2016 elections were first to be held under President Hassan Rouhani, elected in 2013. International sanctions were removed in January 2016 following an agreement on Iran's nuclear programme. Former President Mohammad Khatami praised the success of the List of Hope, saying the people have expressed their support for the policies of the Rohani administration.

Note 1:
While political parties exist, they are not active. The main political forces are generally considered to be 'conservatives' (often referred to as principle-ists or fundamentalists) and 'reformists'. The reformists favour expanded social freedoms and engagement with the West. Moderate conservatives, who backed the 2015 nuclear agreement, joined the List of Hope in the 2016 elections.

Note 2:
The 88-member Assembly of Experts has the authority to appoint and dismiss the Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appointed for life in June 1989. Moderate conservatives won 59% of the seats in 2016, including President Rouhani and former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Date of previous elections: 2 March & 4 May 2012

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 26 May 2016

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Expected date of next elections: February – April 2020

Number of seats at stake: 290 (full renewal)*
*Including five seats reserved for minorities who are elected separately.

Number of candidates: 6,229 (5,643 men, 586 women)

Percentage of women candidates: 9.4%

Number of parties contesting the election: N/A (There is no party system)

Number of parties winning seats: N/A

Alternation of power: N/A (presidential system)

Number of parties in government: N/A

Names of parties in government: N/A

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 28 May 2016

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Ali Ardeshir Larijani
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Distribution of votes
Distribution of seats
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
272

17

5.88%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
Islamic Parliament of Iran (05.03.2016, 02.05.2016)
BBC Monitoring
http://www.presstv.ir/
http://iranprimer.usip.org
http://www.aljazeera.com/

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majles Shoraye Eslami / Islamic Parliament of Iran
Structure of parliament Unicameral
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title Speaker of the Islamic Parliament of Iran
Term - duration: 1 year (election takes place in late May)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Assembly
Appointment - elected by all Members of the Assembly
- the election is held before the official opening of the Assembly
- after members' mandates have been validated and they have been sworn in
Eligibility - any Member of the Assembly may be a candidate
Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot
- absolute majority required in the first round; simple majority in the second
Procedures / results - the provisional Presiding Board presides over the Assembly during the voting
- the provisional Presiding Board supervises the voting
- the provisional Speaker announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged
STATUS
Status - represents the Assembly with the authorities
- is an ex officio member of bodies outside Parliament
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- is ex officio Chairman of executive committees
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Vice-Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
Board - the Presidium is regulated by the Standing Orders
- consists of 11 Members with a one-year term
- meets once weekly
- is a genuine collegiate presidency
Material facilities - allowance
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- domestic staff
- bodyguards
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees
Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- has the Secretaries check the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
Special powers - supervises the establishment of the Assembly's budget
- supervises the recruitment, assignment and promotion of staff
- appoints the Clerk
- organizes the services of Parliament
- plays a specific role in supervising foreign affairs or defence matters
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes the floor in legislative debates
- provides guidelines for interpretating or supplementing the text under discussion
- takes part in voting
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- signs laws before transmitting them to the Head of State for enactment
- must be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution, etc.)

This page was last updated on 20 August 2018
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