AMN /
Early results and trend from Friday’s polls in Iran show that none of the three competing political factions will win a majority in the 290-seat Parliament.
But reformists seeking greater democratic changes are heading towards their strongest presence since 2004.
Friday’s election for Iran’s Parliament and a powerful clerical body known as the Assembly of Experts was the first since Iran’s landmark nuclear deal with world powers last year.
Reformists seeking greater democratic changes and moderates supporting Rouhani appear to be cashing in on the lifting of international sanctions the moderate President achieved under last summer’s historic agreement.
Currently, the Parliament has 290 representatives fourteen of whom represent non-Muslim religious minorities. Women constitute about eight percent of the Parliament members.
A total of 4,844 candidates, including about 500 women, who have qualified from amongst 12,000 registered candidates by the Guardian Council, are taking part in the competition today to occupy parliamentary seats. At least 21 people will vie for each seat in the legislature.
The elected candidates will serve from May 3, 2016 for a four-year term.
In the capital Tehran, more than 1,000 candidates are competing for just 30 parliamentary seats.