Date: 01 Mar 2000
Time: 07:40:40
Remote Name: 156.29.145.175
NetIran Office Feb., 2000 By: S. Farokhyar Word Count: 1098
Text:
First Majlis (1906)
After the Constitutional Revolution in Iran, the first elections for the legislative assembly were held in September 1906. In this round only the hexagonal strata of princes, aristocrats and noblemen, ulema, clerics, tradesmen, landlords and farmers had the right to run for the elections or vote. The minimum voting age was 25. The number of representatives was determined to be 156 which was not materialized. The tenure of the assembly was two years.
Second Majlis (1909)
The second Majlis elections were held according to the elections law in July 1909. The number of representatives was reduced to 120, the condition of class distinction for participation in the polls was lifted and the minimum voting age was set at 20. The amount of ownership was adjusted but to run for the Majlis one had to be a landlord. This assembly did not complete its term and was dissolved following the ultimatum by Russia.
Third Majlis (1914)
According to the elections law approved by the second Majlis (October 22, 1911) two months before its dissolution, elections for the third Majlis were held in January 1914. In the new law, all Iranian men enjoyed equal suffrage rights and the number of deputies rose to 136.
Fourth Majlis (1921-23)
Elections for the fourth Majlis was held in 1918 but the assembly was practically inaugurated after Reza Shah's coup d'etat of July 1921.
5th to 13th Majlises (1923-1941)
The fifth to thirteenth Majlises were held between the years 1923 and 1941 during Reza Shah Pahlavi's rule. The fifth and sixth Majlises which date back to before and beginning of the rule of Reza Shah, remained a bit away from the supervision of the government but in the 7th to 13th Majlises only representatives favored by Reza Shah found their way to the parliament.
14th to 17th Majlises (1941-1953)
After the fall of Reza Shah and Iran's occupation by the Allied Forces, three national assemblies were held which are considered, to a great extent, to be the manifestation of the national resolve. During the said Majlises, the Russian forces withdrew from Iran, Azerbaijan was liberated, the Anglo-Iranian oil company was nationalized and the national government of Mohammad Mossadeq came into office. However, before the end of the 16th Majlis, the national government of Mossadeq was overthrown through an American engineered coup d'etat.
18th to 24th Majlises (1953-1979)
Six Majlis terms were held between the coup d'etat of 1953 and the 1979 revolution which on the whole acted in line with the demands of the Imperial Court and the Shah. Rigging and exertion of influence were among the prominent features of these assemblies. During the 21st Majlis elections (1961), women for the first time obtained suffrage right and six women were elected to the parliament.
Legislative Assemblies after the Victory of the Islamic Revolution
First Majlis (1980-1984)
Elections for the first legislative assembly of Iran after the victory of the Islamic Revolution was held on March 14, 1980. The elections law had been earlier approved by the Revolution's Council.
According to the said law, absolute majority (50% plus one votes) was determined as the criteria for electing representatives in the first stage of the 2elections. If all the seats were not won in the first stage of the elections, from among those who secured the highest votes, twice the number of the remaining seats would compete in the runoffs. Here, those winning the relative majority found their ways into the parliament.
In the first Majlis, all groups and parties nominated their candidates. Four women were from those elected to the Majlis. Among the first decision of the legislative body was to change the name of the parliament from the National Consultative Assembly to the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Three months after the formation of the first parliament, Iraq invaded Iran.
Second Majlis (1984-1988)
Elections for the second term of the Majlis was held under conditions that Iran was in its fourth year of the war against Iraq. The elections were held without serious competition. Political figures advocating the revolution and the government were the main contenders. In this term too, four women were elected.
Third Majlis (1988-1992)
Elections for the third term of the Majlis were held when the late Imam Khomeini was alive and under conditions that the united rank of the country, especially among the clergy, had been openly divided into two groups. Disagreement on a number of issues, particularly concerning the economic policies, as well as attitudes on the rule of velayat-e faqih led a group of the clergy to
split from Jame'e Rouhaniyate Mobarez (Militant Clergy Association). As a result and with the permission of the late Imam, Majma'e Rouhanioune Mobarez (Militant Clerics League) started their political activities. The majority of the seats of the third Majlis were occupied by the MCL.
At the end of its activities, the third Majlis by approving an amendment to the elections law, changed the condition of `absolute majority' (fifty plus one votes) to one third plus one votes. In this term of the Majlis too, four women were elected.
Fourth Majlis (1992-1996)
The fourth Majlis started its activities under conditions that the Council of Guardians which was in charge of supervising the elections and conforming the laws with Islam and the Constitution, had expanded its domain of responsibility to deciding the competency of the candidates, a task it described as "approbatory supervision". Thus the faqih members of the Council of Guardians who are appointed by the Leader, disqualified most of the candidates affiliated to the MCL
(Jame'e Rouhaniyate Mobarez) and their like-minded groups in the elections. Therefore, the fourth Majlis was thoroughly taken over by advocates of MCA (Majma'e Rouhanioune Mobarez). Nine women were elected to the Majlis in this term.
Fifth Majlis (1996-2000)
The approbatory supervision of the Council of Guardians continued in this term of the Majlis but the emergence of the Executives of Construction, a new faction formed by some prominent members of President Hashemi Rafsanjani's cabinet, disturbed the uniformity of the fourth Majlis. This group, together with a few advocates of MCL formed a strong minority in the fifth Majlis. In the 1997 presidential elections, the same minority supported the candidacy of Mohammad Khatami.
In a new amendment to the elections law, the fifth Majlis again eased the condition of winning a minimum of one third of votes in the first stage to one fourth plus one votes. Fourteen women were elected in this term of the Majlis.