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By Leigh Catherine Miles
Editor, Iran Election Bulletin

Dear Reader,

Iran’s economic problems – rampant inflation, unemployment and the depletion of financial reserves – have become a central focus of political debate during the presidential campaign. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is bearing the brunt of public frustration, with blame placed squarely on his economic policies of the last four years. In campaign speeches, his political rivals – both reformists and fellow conservatives – forcefully attack economic mismanagement and his self-proclaimed populist credentials. While international analysts tend to concur with the negative assessment of Ahmadinejad’s economic performance, the domestic criticism reflects political strategy as much as bread and butter issues.

The governing system of the Islamic Republic, which places primary power in the hands of unelected regime leaders, largely hampers the president’s ability to set a broad policy agenda. However, economic policy is the one area in which the president does exert influence. As such, those vying to unseat Ahmadinejad see the economy as his political Achilles’ heel, and they can attack him there without necessarily being accused of also attacking the regime.

Thus far the hard-line establishment, perhaps wanting to distance itself from the country’s economic hardships, has not closed ranks to defend the president. Ahmadinejad, however, appears to be repositioning himself in greater alignment with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. If the political winds shift with the approach of the election, hard-line conservatives may decide to line up behind Ahmadinejad and push other issues to the forefront of political debate.

Whatever agenda comes to dominate the campaign, the electorate is hoping for clear policies and will hold whoever is elected accountable for improving their daily lives. Ahmadinejad’s opponents will need to balance speaking to specifics with not over-promising results – or they may find themselves similarly in the political cross-hairs in the future.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of the Iran Election Bulletin, and welcome you to

email me with any questions or comments you may have.

Sincerely,
Leigh Catherine Miles
Editor

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Published on April 10, 2009