Unit 6: Newly Industrialized and Developing Countries

Lesson6.2–StructureofIran’sGovernment

The Basics •  Theocra9cRepublic

•  Theocracywithdemocra9celements

• HighlyCentralizedUnitaryState•  Butisdividedadministra9velyintoprovinces,districts,sub-districts,andlocalareas(localelec9onsallowedsince1999)

• DualExecu9ve(HOS,SupremeLeader;HOG,President)

• UnicameralLegislature•  Judiciarynotindependent;BasedonShariaLaw

The Supreme Leader Head of State – Chief ExecuEve

•  ChosenbytheAssemblyofReligiousExperts–rulesforlife

•  Linksthegovernmenttogether•  Powers:

•  LimitPresiden9alcandidates•  Authoritytooverrule/dismisspresident•  Commandofarmedforces•  Declara9onofwarandpeace•  Issuedecreesforna9onalreferenda•  Appointheadofjudiciary•  AppointhalfofthemembersoftheGuardianCouncil

•  AppointFridayprayerleadersandtheheadofradioandTV SupremeLeader-AyatollahKhamenei

Guardian Council

•  12members–sixyearterms•  6fromSupremeLeader•  6approvedbyMajles

• UpholdsShariaLawinIran•  “Guard”againstsecularism

• VetoPower• Ve_ngPower

Assembly of Religious Experts

•  88members–8yearterms

•  Directlyelectedbythepeople.

•  ElectSupremeLeader• CandismissSupremeLeader

Expediency Council

•  32members–mostchosenbytheSupremeLeader

•  SebledisputesbetweenMajlesandGuardianCouncil

• Mayoriginatelegisla9on

President Head of Government

• HeadofGovernment–Directelec9on–Tworounds

•  4yearterm–consecu9ve8yearlimit

• Powers:•  Selectsvicepresidents&cabinetmembers

•  Devisesbudget&presentslegisla9ontoparliament

•  Signstrea9es,laws&agreements•  ChairsNa9onalSecurityCouncil•  Appointsprovincialgovernors,townmayors&ambassadors PresidentRouhani

The LegislaEve Branch (Majles) •  290Depu9es–4yearterm–SingleMemberDistricts

•  Fiveguaranteedseatsforreligiousminori9es

•  Tworoundvo9ng•  NOTarubberstamp,butheavilychecked

•  Powers•  Enact/Changelaws(withapprovalofGuardianCouncil)

•  Appoint6of12membersofGuardianCouncil,chosenfromalistdrawnupbychiefjudge

•  Inves9gatecabinetministersandpubliccomplaintsagainstexecu9veandjudiciary

•  Removecabinetmembers(notpresident)

•  Approvebudget,cabinetappointments,trea9es&loans

Iranian Supreme Court

• ChiefJudgeappointedbySupremeLeader–ChiefJudgechoosesotherjudges

• Highestcourtofappeal•  ShariaLaw–Strict/Harsh

•  Stoning,1male=2females,capitalpunishment

• OverturnlawsofMajlesthatcontradictShariaLaw

10

The Military • Regulararmyof370,000• AccordingtoCons9tu9on,regulararmydefendstheborders,whiletheRevolu9onaryGuardsprotecttherepublic

• Revolu+onaryGuards(establishedajer1979)

•  125,000ac9vetroops,commandersappointedbySupremeLeader

•  Hasitsowngroundforces,navyandairforce,andoverseesIran'sstrategicweapons.

Linkage Institutions – Political Parties • Cons9tu9ongivesci9zenstherighttoorganize/assemble

• Cons9tu9onallowspoli9calpar9es,buttheydidnotemergeun9lajer1997elec9onofKhatami

• Weakpar9eshaveformed–organizedaroundpersonali9es

•  Par9esareunstable&changefromelec9ontoelec9on

•  Twomajorcoali9ons:Conserva9vevsReformist

Linkage Institutions – Interest Groups • Veryweak• WorkersHouse–oneofthefewprominentinterestgroupsinIran

•  Factoryworkers•  Reformminded

•  Fewbusinessinterestgroupshaveformed–theIraniangovernmentcontrolsbetween65%-80%oftheeconomy

Linkage Institutions – Mass Media •  Speechagainstthegovernmentwasacriminaloffenseajerthe1979revolu9on

•  Accesstomedia–majorissuebetweenconserva9vesandreformists

• MajorradioandTVisgov’t-runbytheIslamicRepublicofIranBroadcas9ng

•  Somenewspapersandmagazinesareprivatelyowned(non-poli9cal)

•  Since2010,thegov’thasbeenbuildingana9onalnetworkasasubs9tutefortheInternet

•  SocialMediasitesfromoutsideofIranarenormallynotaccessible

Review • DiscussionQues9on:What elements of Iran’s political system

make it theocratic? Which elements make it democratic?

Theocra+c Democra+c