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Iran's Leading Reformist Party Supports Cabinet Line-up
The Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), the biggest pro-reform caucus in the country, on Sunday expressed support for the cabinet line-up proposed by President Mohammad Khatami.
Iran's reformist-majority Majlis (parliament) Sunday morning began its open session to vote on Khatami's new cabinet nominees despite speculation that the mild-mannered president might face a revolt over a vote of confidence on his proposed administration.
The IIPF said in a statement, quoted by the official IRNA news agency, that "in the new cabinet line-up, Khatami has gone through a process compliant with the status quo and we defend his (new) cabinet."
"We will try to give a confidence vote to most of the nominees although some of them may not be able to meet the needs of a large part of the society," the statement said.
Khatami was re-elected on June 8 and was sworn into office before the parliament for a second four-year term on August 8.
Last Sunday, Khatami named new ministers of finance, labor, health, cooperatives and transport, and moved the former cooperative minister to the ministry of education. All other ministers were re-named.
According to the constitution, the cabinet members must be approved by members of parliament through "vote of confidence." If the parliament rejects one or several of Khatami's nominees, Khatami will be given up to three months to introduce new candidates, while the elected ministers will be permitted to take office.
Khatami's nominees to his new cabinet have been widely criticized as incompetent to implement the reforms Khatami has promised.
Both reformists and conservatives in the 290-seat chamber are not upbeat about the cabinet reshuffle, saying the nominees are " politically inexperienced."
Khatami, however, defended the appointees in the Majlis in his morning speech that outlined his plans and policies for the next four years.
"My criteria for selecting colleagues in government in this term, as in the previous term, are the same ones I have always believed in and which have the approval of the majority of the people, as shown by their votes," he explained.
The lawmakers began debating the reshuffle and the result of the voting on the ministers is to be announced Monday.
Though Khatami's cabinet nominees have drawn criticisms from different circles, analysts here believed that Khatami may go through the test because of the political reality in the country.
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