Reflection of Iran's Elections on March 7 in European Media

On Friday, March 7, Germany's First Television Network, ARD, aired two reports by its correspondent, Natalie Amiri, who went to Tehran to cover the elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts. In her reports, Amiri interviewed several Tehran citizens, including Fatemeh Hosseini, a disqualified candidate, discussing the characteristics of the elections. According to German television, women were very active in the elections, with a total of 500 women competing for parliamentary seats. Major German newspapers and weeklies such as Spiegel, Die Zeit, Die Welt, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and others extensively covered the news of the Iranian elections. The weekly Die Zeit published a report titled 'Little Change, Much Fraud,' stating that while the elections in Iran appear very democratic, they are heavily manipulated, starting from the qualification process and continuing with the prohibition of holding campaign rallies in an open environment. The weekly Spiegel referred to election day as a 'fateful day,' noting the illness of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran, and the disqualification of Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini, stating that 'although Hassan Rouhani succeeded in foreign policy with the signing of the nuclear agreement, he has made no progress domestically.' Spiegel asserts that Iran's political system is not democratic, but elements of democracy can be seen within it. The British newspaper Guardian, in an article titled 'Why the Iranian Elections Matter,' writes that after about a decade of hardliners dominating political and executive institutions, Hassan Rouhani's victory in 2013 somewhat changed the situation, but many institutions remain under hardliner control. According to the Guardian's author, 'the two elections on Friday are a competition between hardline conservatives to maintain their power and reformists seeking to return to power.' The newspaper states, 'Friday's elections are not fair, and this unfairness began at the moment of qualification.' The Guardian notes the political and executive history of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, stating that he has lost his past power, especially after supporting the Green Movement, but is now backing reformists. The Guardian mentions that Friday's elections are crucial for the continuation of Rouhani's government. The BBC also examined the differences between hardline conservatives and reformists regarding economic programs, with one advocating for an endogenous and resistant economy, while the other emphasizes the need to attract foreign investment to boost production and create jobs. The Austrian newspaper Die Presse evaluates Friday's elections as 'the first test after the nuclear agreement' for Hassan Rouhani, noting that Mehdi Karroubi has requested that the ballot box be brought to his residence. Die Presse quotes Iran's Interior Minister, who stated that the government is working to provide voting opportunities for all citizens. The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, in a report titled 'Long Lines in Front of Polling Stations,' writes that the nuclear agreement should theoretically help reformists, but it remains to be seen whether the agreement and the lifting of sanctions will assist reformists or not. According to this Swiss newspaper, economic policies are at the center of electoral competition. The French newspaper Le Monde, in a report titled 'JCPOA at the Center of Friday's Elections,' states: 'The most important issue that has preoccupied some in this election is the prospect of foreign investment to end Iran's devastated economy over the past decade. Hassan Rouhani hopes that after this election and with reduced factional tensions, he can present and implement his economic programs, which include job creation as a significant aspect.' The Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter mentions that despite the control of Shia clergy over Iranian society, the people of Iran can somewhat shape their future through the elections on Friday. This Swedish newspaper states that elections in Iran are not free, and the people's choice is limited, yet this election provides an opportunity for Iran to find its way back to the global community. The Spanish newspaper El País, in a report titled 'Today's Elections Key to Accessing New Generations,' writes: 'Many young people in Iran see immigration as the only option.' El País notes that there are three million first-time voters and states that the word 'participation' is a key term that is being used to display the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic system. This Spanish newspaper dedicates a significant part of its report to interviews with several young people who describe the future for youth in Iran as 'uncertain.'