The results of Iran's elections are out. It's Ahmedinejad again. By a landslide.
Whatever your thoughts of him are, this is a worrying situation. Not because of him actually staying in power and what decisions he will be making over the coming 4 years, but because of what the reaction to him coming to power will be.
In the few days/weeks leading up to the elections, i've seen the youth of Iran take to the streets and show their support for Mir-Hossein Mousavi, and hold up and chant slogans backing him.
Ahmadi hasn't really done much against the youth, but his mis-handling of the economical situation in Iran has managed to push up inflation, and cause hell for a large majority of families who live on an average monthly income of about $600.
More than two thirds of Iran's population are under 30. Many of them were set to be rooting for Mousavi. This election, more than any other, was expected to have a huge turnout of youth.
But now the results are out; Ahmadi has won by 62%, and Mousavi with a total vote of 33%. Now pardon my intelligence for a minute but with what's been going on over the past few weeks, that figure looks off. Totally off. So off, infact, that i'm getting flashbacks of when Saddam Hussein ran for elections and got 100%.
My worry is not that Ahmadi is president again. My worry is that in the coming few days/weeks, Iran is going to be on FIRE. Rigged or not, the elections still look rigged, and that's more than enough reason for people to retaliate; updated as I type, just read news on serious unrest starting out in a number of areas around Tehran.
This can't be good.
The pictures you posted and those that are covered all over the media are mainly taken out in Tehran and the big cities, basically where Mousavi dominates. The suburbs, the villages and average Iranian citizen are wholeheartedly supporters of Ahmedinjad.. for obvious reasons..
ReplyDeleteI must say, I personally like his foreign policy.. Economical reforms however like you noted should be his main concern for the time being..
The issue isnt about ahmedinajad he could be a saint or satan himself. The issue is the iranian citizan's voice and freedom to communicate and articulate their ideas which the iranian state supresses with harsh measures. The youth in iran feels much like the youth in bahrain, completly out of the loop of decision making.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to comment on Ahmadi for some many reasons, but I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteIt is worrying that half of the country think the elections are rigged (and they very well may be!), and even more worrying that foreign countries back this up. Who knows what is going to happen now... definitely not peace!
WHEN WILL YOU COME BACK TO TWITTER?
ReplyDeleteWhat great insight!
ReplyDelete