Iran’s Pres. Election named one of the 10 elections to watch in 2017

The Atlantic magazine has named upcoming Iranian presidential election as one of the 10 elections to watch in 2017.

The magazine published a report on Dec. 18, saying: ‘Millions of people around the world went to the polls this year. The results provided plenty of surprises. British voters defied the pollsters and voted to leave the European Union. Colombians did much the same in rejecting their government’s peace deal with FARC, though Colombia’s president found a way to complete the deal a few months later without a vote. The biggest electoral surprise of all might have been in the United States, where Donald Trump defied the political experts and defeated Hillary Clinton.’

Regarding Iran’s Presidential Election on May 19, the report says: ‘Can Hassan Rouhani shock the world a second time? He first surprised the world back in 2013, winning the Iranian presidency in a landslide, defeating a slate of hard-line candidates along the way.’

‘During the election campaign, Mr. Rouhani promised to improve ties with the West, revitalize the economy, and implement a civil rights charter. He soon learned that governing is tougher than campaigning,’ According to The Atlantic. ‘He negotiated a nuclear deal with the West, freeing Iran of many of the sanctions that it faced. But with Donald Trump’s victory, that success now looks precarious.’

The report adds: ‘Fortunately for Rouhani, Iran’s hard-line faction has yet to coalesce around a popular alternative. Ahmadinejad hinted at another run for the presidency, but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei tacitly disqualified him from running. So for now, Rouhani is favored to win a second term.’

The list of 10 elections to watch in 2017 from the view of The Atlantic magazine includes:

1- The Netherlands’s General Election, March 15

2- Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Election, March 26

3- France’s Presidential Election, First Round on April 23, Second Round on May 7

4- The World Health Organization’s Director-General Election, May

5- Iran’s Presidential Election, May 19

6- Rwanda’s General Election, August

7- China’s Politburo Selection at the 19th National Congress, October or November 2017

8- Germany’s Federal Election, October 22

9- South Korea’s Presidential Election, December 20

10- Thailand’s General Election, late 2017

Photo credit: newyorker.com

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