IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF)

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Parliament (generic name):

Majles Shoraye Eslami

Translated name:

Islamic Consultative Assembly

Structure:

Unicameral

Chamber:

Majles Shoraye Eslami

Translated name:

Islamic Consultative Assembly

President:

Ali Ardeshir Larijani ( M)

Secretary General:

Abbas Mozaffar ( M)

Members (statutory number):

290

directly elected

Members (current number):

286

Women (current number):

8 ( 2.80%)

Term:

4 years

Last renewal dates:

14 March 2008

25 April 2008

Address:

Majles Shoraye Eslami
Baharestan Square
TEHERAN
Tel.: (9821) 33440 236
Fax: (9821) 33440 236, 33440 309
Cable: Majles, Teheran
Telex: 21 42 32 ICAI IR

Web site:

http://www.majlis.ir/

Affiliation to IPU:

Yes

Affiliation date(s):

1930 -1939
1949 -1979
1981 -

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Electoral Law:

28 February 1984

Last amendment: 23/01/1992

Constituencies:

196 single or multi-member constituencies.

Voting System:

Majority system in two rounds.
In order to be elected, a candidate must, in his/her constituency, obtain at least one-third of the votes cast in the first round in single-member constituencies (or from one-third of voters in multi-member constituencies) and a simple majority in the second. The number of candidates who may run in the second round is restricted to those in the lead and to twice the number of seats to be filled in the constituency concerned. If the number is less than double, all remaining candidates may run. If those remaining are equal to or less than the number of unfilled seats, the second round is not held and the results of the first ballot are conclusive.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections. No by-elections are, however, held within the last year of the legislature's term, unless the total number of filled Assembly seats falls below 200.
Voting is not compulsory.

Voter requirements:

- age: 18 years
- Iranian citizenship
- disqualifications: insanity

Eligibility:

Qualified electors
- age: 26 to 75 years
- Iranian citizenship
- belief in and active obligation to Islam and the system prevailing in the country (candidates of religious minorities exempted from obligation to Islam)
- pledged faithfulness to the Constitution
- sufficient literacy
- physical well-being
- ineligibility: persons who played leading roles in strengthening the former (pre-Islamic) regime, large landowners, persons belonging to illegal groups, those convicted of action against the State or apostasy, drug addicts

Incompatibilities:

- President of the Republic and his counsellors
- Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and their advisers
- members of the Council of Guardians
- members of the High Judicial Council
- Head of the Administrative Court of Justice
- Head of General Inspection
- certain public officials and religious leaders
- members of the armed forces

Candidacy requirements:

(data unavailable)

LAST ELECTIONS

Also available: Archive of past election results for this chamber

Dates of election / renewal (from/to):

14 March 2008

25 April 2008

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats in the Islamic Consultative on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.

Background and outcome of elections:

Text is being prepared.

STATISTICS


Round no 1 (14 March 2008): Election results

Number of registered electors		49'000'000
Voters		24'240'269 (49.47%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers		1'049'370
Valid votes		23'190'899


Round no 2 (25 April 2008): Election results

Number of registered electors
Voters		5'443'161 (26%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers		196'031
Valid votes		5'247'130

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group

Candidates

Votes

% of votes

Round no 2: Distribution of votes

Political Group

Candidates

Votes

% of votes

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group

Total of seats

Round no 2: Distribution of seats

Political Group

Total of seats

Comments:

There are four vacant seats.
Source: Islamic Consultative Assembly (05.05.2008)

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men:

278

Women:

Percent of women:

2.80

Distribution of seats according to age:

Distribution of seats according to profession:

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENT

APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE

Title:

Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly

Term:

- duration: 1 year (election takes place in late May)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Assembly

Appointment:

- elected by all Members of the Assembly
- the election is held before the official opening of the Assembly
- after members' mandates have been validated and they have been sworn in

Eligibility:

- any Member of the Assembly may be a candidate

Voting system:

- formal vote by secret ballot
- absolute majority required in the first round; simple majority in the second

Procedures / results:

- the provisional Presiding Board presides over the Assembly during the voting
- the provisional Presiding Board supervises the voting
- the provisional Speaker announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged

STATUS

Status:

- represents the Assembly with the authorities
- is an ex officio member of bodies outside Parliament
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- is ex officio Chairman of executive committees
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Vice-Speaker can assume his/her role and functions

Board:

- the Presidium is regulated by the Standing Orders
- consists of 11 Members with a one-year term
- meets once weekly
- is a genuine collegiate presidency

Material facilities:

- allowance
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- domestic staff
- bodyguards

FUNCTIONS

Organization of parliamentary business:

- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees

Chairing of public sittings:

- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- has the Secretaries check the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates

Special powers:

- supervises the establishment of the Assembly's budget
- supervises the recruitment, assignment and promotion of staff
- appoints the Clerk
- organizes the services of Parliament
- plays a specific role in supervising foreign affairs or defence matters
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber

Speaking and voting rights, other functions:

- takes the floor in legislative debates
- provides guidelines for interpretating or supplementing the text under discussion
- takes part in voting
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- signs laws before transmitting them to the Head of State for enactment
- must be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution, etc.)

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Nature of the mandate:

Start of the mandate:

Validation of mandates:

End of the mandate:

Can MPs resign ?

Yes

Can MPs lose their mandate ?

Yes

STATUS OF PARLIAMENT MEMBERS

Rank in hierarchy:

Indemnities, facilities and services:

Obligation to declare personal assets:

Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability:

Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability:

EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE

Training:

Participation in the work of the Parliament:

Discipline:

Code (rules) of conduct:

Relations between MPs and pressure group:

Also available: Archive of past election results for this chamber