Students Call on Khatami to Resign Over Election Flop
February 08, 2004
Iran Weekly Press Digest
WPD
Hundreds of students gathered inside the Tehran university on Sunday and, while protesting against efforts by the conservative clergy to eradicate republicanism in Iran, called on President Mohammad Khatami to resign.
“Our final word is this: if you (Khatami) can still hear the voice of the people and still care for them, then resign,” the students news agency ISNA quoted the students as saying in a letter addressed to the president.
Students blamed the president to have once again made a flop in confronting the hardline clergy following the elimination of more than 2000 liberal candidates, including 87 sitting legislators, in the February 20 parliamentary elections.
Khatami’s efforts to persuade the conservative clergy in the senate-like Guardian Council to revise the eliminations finally failed and he eventually gave in to holding the polls as scheduled although he had earlier vowed to prevent undemocratic and uncompetitive elections.
“Khatami is not the Khatami of 1997 (when first elected as president) and if he was no longer capable to lead the reform movement, then he should resign,” the students said.
The students further said that the conservative clergy with less than 20 per cent of popular support plan to eradicate not only republicanism nut also the right of electing and replace it with appointing deputies for the parliament.
Several students groups, in line with liberal groups, have proclaimed that they would boycott the elections in protest against the elimination of liberal candidates.
http://www.iranwpd.com/I don't expect Khatami to resign, however, what would happen if he did? What is the line of succession and would that result in turmoil?
I ask because it seems like an easy answer, but I wonder if the result would actually mean change or more of the same?