Ahmadinejad opponents win elections

[maddezmom]

TEHRAN, Iran - Opponents of Iran's ultra-conservative president won nationwide elections for local councils, final results confirmed Thursday, an embarrassing outcome for the hardline leader that could force him to change his anti-Western tone and focus more on problems at home.

Moderate conservatives critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won a majority of seats in last week's elections, followed by reformists who were suppressed by hard-liners two years ago. Analysts said the president's allies won less than 20 percent of local council seats across the country.

The vote was widely seen as a sign of public discontent with Ahmadinejad's stances, which have fueled fights with the West and led Iran closer to U.N. sanctions.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061221/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_elections

[rollin74]

1. Good News!

[Roland99]

2. Might help stave off a potential US/Israeli attack

[Mudoria]

3. Which isn't coming btw..

:eyes:

[David__77]

4. When a "reformist" was president of Iran, but labeled them "axis of evil."

The point is that Bush wants unconditional surrender to US dictates. None of these factions supports that.

[Eugene]

5. AP: Ahmadinejad Seems Unbowed by Foes' Wins

It's the economy, Mahmoud.

Ahmadinejad Seems Unbowed by Foes' Wins

Thursday December 21, 2006 7:31 PM

AP Photo VAH101

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI

Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called President Bush "the most hated
person" in the world on Thursday, keeping up his tirades against the West despite elections
that showed Iranians want him to focus on the country's domestic problems.

In final results announced Thursday from local elections last week, moderate conservatives
opposed to Ahmadinejad won a majority of seats. They were followed by reformists, making
a comeback after being driven out of local councils, parliament and the presidency over the
past five years.

-snip-

But Ahmadinejad appeared unbowed. He toured cities in western Iran, telling the crowds
that Iran will not be intimidated by Western demands to dismantle its nuclear program, and
scolding Bush.

-snip-

Ahmadinejad did not comment on the election results. But his hard-line foreign policy, in
the absence of a strong domestic agenda or economic program, is believed to have divided
the conservative base that voted him into the presidency last year.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6295988,00.html

[oblivious]

6. By the sounds of it he is good at making promises but never gets around to fulfilling them.

Opposition candidates demanded that Ahmadinejad pay more attention to unemployment, now estimated at 11 percent, and other economic problems. He has failed to carry through on several domestic campaign promises, including a pledge to send a share of the country's oil revenues to every family and to implement an anti-poverty program.

Just another lyin politician.