Reformists Front (Persian: جبهه اصلاح‌طلبان), formerly called Democracy Front (Persian: جبهه مردمسالاری)[4] and Front for Consolidation of Democracy (Persian: جبهه تحکیم دموکراسی),[2] is an Iranian reformist political alliance of "little-known parties" formerly pivoted by Democracy Party.[5]

Reformists Front
جبهه اصلاح‌طلبان
SecretaryMajid Bahmanzadeh
SpokespersonMajid Mohtashami
Claiming secretaries-generalAli Faezi
Mohammad-Javad Haghshenas
FounderMostafa Kavakebian
Founded
  • 1999 (Initial activities)[1]
  • January 7, 2005 (2005-01-07)[2]
  • January 1, 2012 (2012-01-01) (Rebirth)[1][3]
HeadquartersTehran, Iran
National affiliationIranian reformists

History

edit

2008 parliamentary election

edit
Popular Coalition of Reforms
ائتلاف مردمی اصلاحات
PresidentMostafa Kavakebian[6]
SpokespersonFatemeh Karroubi[6]
Vice PresidentGhodratali Heshmatian[7]
SloganPersian: همکاری ملی و اصلاحات مردمی برای بهبود زندگی "National Cooperation and Popular Reforms to Improve Life"[6]

In 2008 Iranian legislative election, they formed "Popular Coalition of Reforms", consisting of 14 groups.[7] Mostafa Kavakebian and Fatemeh Karroubi were key figures of the alliance.[6] Other than Democracy Party, Islamic Assembly of Women and some Islamic Iran Solidarity Party politicians—not the party itself—were notable members of the coalition.[7] The coalition was allied with National Trust Party and Moderation and Development Party in the election and competed with Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front's "Reformists Coalition: Friends of Khatami" list, as well as conservative United Front of Principlists and Principlists Pervasive Coalition.[5][8][9]

2012 parliamentary election

edit

Led by Mostafa Kavakebian, in the 2012 Iranian legislative election they were renamed to "Reformists Front", a name similar to the "Reforms Front"[10]—which decided not to participate in the election.[11] Some reformist groups ruled out any cooperation with the Reformists Front, and some even labeled them as “fake reformists” (Persian: اصلاح‌طلبان بدلی).[12] In Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr electoral district they were allied with the Worker House and endorsed 15 shared candidates. The two groups were the most notable reformist parties competing in the elections.[5][13][14]

Democracy Party departure and front split

edit

In early summer 2014, Democracy Party left the front in order to be able to remain in the Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front. Following the exit, a split occurred in the front. One faction believed the Deputy Secretary-General Mohammad-Javad Haghshenas takes the secretary-general office, and the other faction elected Ali Faezi as the new secretary-general and retained Majid Mohtashami as spokesperson. On 26 October 2014, one faction tried to register the front in the Ministry of Interior and become the legitimate faction.[1][15][16][17] In October 2014, former leader Mostafa Kavakebian criticized their decision to form a parallel reformist alliance in 2008, but defended their participation in 2012.[18]

2016 parliamentary election

edit

The front issued a list for the 2016 Iranian legislative election which was 100% overlapping with the List of Hope.[19]

Membership

edit

The front includes minor political parties as well as local parties and less formal groups and organizations. Groups mentioned as members of the alliance by sources include:

  • Freedom Party (Persian: حزب آزادی)[10]
  • Iran National Union Party (Persian: حزب اتحاد ملی ايران)[10]
  • Children of Iran Party (Persian: حزب فرزندان ايران)[10]
  • Association for Solidarity of Iran Educators (Persian: کانون همبستگی فرهنگيان ايران),[10] founded in 1999
  • Iran's Progress Party (Persian: حزب ترقی ايران)[20]
  • Independent Labour Party (Persian: حزب مستقل کار)[20]
  • Political Population of Iran National Power (Persian: جمعيت سياسي اقتدار ملی ايران)[10]
  • Population of Advocates of Law & Order (Persian: جمعيت طرفدار نظم و قانون),[10] founded in 1998
  • Population of Followers of Tomorrow (Persian: جمعيت رهروان فردا)[20]
  • Society of Lawyers Defending Human Rights (Persian: کانون وکلای مدافع حقوق بشر), founded in 1998
  • Glorious Iran Party (Persian: حزب ايران سرافراز)[20]
  • Development Pioneers Party (Persian: حزب پيشگامان توسعه)[20]
  • Kermanshah Province Development Party (Persian: حزب توسعه استان کرمانشاه)[20]
  • Mahestan Association (Persian: کانون مهستان)[21]
  • Association of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Youth (Persian: کانون جوان چهارمحال و بختياری)[21]
  • Association of Educators and Graduates of Payame Noor University (Persian: کانون مدرسين و فارغ‌التحصيلان دانشگاه پيام نور کشور)[21]
  • Association of Academics of University of Isfahan (Persian: انجمن دانشگاهيان دانشگاه اصفهان)[10]
  • Assembly of Students and Graduates of Bushehr Province (Persian: مجمع دانشجويان و دانش‌آموختگان استان بوشهر)[20]
  • Assembly of Students and Graduates of Isfahan Province (Persian: مجمع دانشجويان و دانش‌آموختگان استان اصفهان)[21]
  • Assembly of Students and Graduates of Golestan Province (Persian: مجمع دانشجويان و دانش‌آموختگان استان گلستان)[20]
  • Assembly of Students and Graduates of East Azerbaijan Province (Persian: مجمع دانشجويان و دانش‌آموختگان استان آذربايجان شرقی)[21]
  • Assembly of Students and Graduates of Ilam Province (Persian: مجمع دانشجويان و دانش‌آموختگان استان ايلام)[20]
  • Association for Graduates of West Azarbaijan (Persian: کانون فارغ‌التحصيلان آذربايجان غربی),[10] founded in 1998
  • Association for Graduates of Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni (Persian: کانون فارغ‌التحصيلان ابوريحان بيرونی),[10] founded in 1999
  • Gilan Popular Participations Party (Persian: حزب مشارکت‌های مردمی گيلان)[20]
  • Popular Party of Reforms[22]

Former members

edit
Former allied groups

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "هیئت رئیسه جبهه اصلاح طلبان انتخاب شدند + اسامی" (in Persian). Tasnim News Agency. 11 January 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Iran Report". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 8 (9). 1 March 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  3. ^ "/اعلام موجوديت جبهه مردم‌سالاري/ كواكبيان: اهل قهر و تحريم نيستيم جبهه مردم‌سالاري و اصلاحات مقابل هم نيستند" (in Persian). Iranian Students' News Agency. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  4. ^ "تغییر نام جبهه مردم‌سالاری به "جبهه اصلاح‌طلبان"/ طرح مناسک برای رهبری اصلاحات" (in Persian). Mehr News Agency. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Beheshti, Ebrahim (4 January 2016) [14 Dey 1394]. "گزارش "ایران" از صف‌آرایی گروه‌های سیاسی در 9 دوره انتخابات مجلس". Iran (in Persian). No. 6116. 109221. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d "اهل قهرکردن و تحریم انتخابات نیستیم" (in Persian). Iranian Students' News Agency. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "اسامی احزاب عضو ائتلاف مردمی اصلاحات اعلام شد" (in Persian). Mehr News Agency. 22 December 2007. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Q&A;: Iran parliamentary election". BBC World. 7 March 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  9. ^ "مردم سالاری، اصلاح طلب یا غیر اصولگرا" (in Persian). Parsine. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "واژه نامه جريان هاي فعال در انتخابات رياست جمهوري ايران" (in Persian). BBC Persian. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  11. ^ Cyrus Green (20 December 2011). "'Upcoming elections illegal and unfair' says Green Council". Oye! Times. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  12. ^ Mohammad Reza Yazdanpanah (5 March 2013). "We Want to Meet the Supreme Leader". Rooz Online. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  13. ^ "آخرین وضعیت فهرست اصلاحات در تهران/ پیوند مردم‌سالاری و خانه کارگر". Mehr News Agency (in Persian). 8 February 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Guide: Iranian parliamentary elections". BBC World. 27 February 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  15. ^ "وقتی اصلاح‌طلبان تفرق خود را پنهان می‌کنند/در اصلاحات چه می‌گذرد؟" (in Persian). Mehr News Agency. 22 December 2007. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  16. ^ "جبهه اصلاح‌طلبان ۲ شاخه شده‌اند" (in Persian). Tasnim News Agency. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  17. ^ "جبهه اصلاح‌طلبان؛ یک جبهه ۲ دبیرکل، ۲ سخنگو" (in Persian). Tasnim News Agency. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  18. ^ "برگزاری همایش بزرگ اصلاح طلبان با عنوان "انتخاب نمایندگان مدرس گونه"" (in Persian). Iranian Students' News Agency. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  19. ^ "کپی لیست اصلاح طلبان با یک اسم جدید، اما با همان شعار" (in Persian). Khabaronline. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "هيئت رئيسه جبهه اصلاح طلبان انتخاب شدند + اسامي" (in Persian). Tasnim News Agency. 11 January 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  21. ^ a b c d e "اعضاي "جبهه اصلاحات" و "جبهه اصلاح طلبان" چه احزابي هستند؟" (in Persian). Noandish. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  22. ^ "حزب مردمی اصلاحات به جبهه اصلاح‌طلبان پیوست" (in Persian). Iranian Labour News Agency. 1 January 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
edit
Preceded by
Reformists Coalition: Friends of Khatami
Popular Coalition of Reforms
Reformists parliamentary coalition
2012
Succeeded by
Preceded by Reformists parliamentary coalition
2008
With: Reformists Coalition: Friends of Khatami
Succeeded by
Reformists Front