International

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iran presidential election

The reformist Masoud Pezeshkian has pulled off a stunning victory in the Iranian presidential runoff, reflecting deep dissatisfaction with the direction of the country in recent years and opening potential new avenues of cooperation with the west, The Guardian reports.

Pezeshkian won 16,384,403 votes to defeat the ultra-conservative Saeed Jalili, who received 13,538,179 votes, on a final turnout of 49.8% – a big increase on the record low turnout of 39% recorded in the first round. In the first round, Pezeshkian came top, defeating three Conservative rivals. The turnout included more than 1m invalid votes.

Pezeshkian has been an advocate of letting women choose whether to wear the hijab and ending internet restrictions that require the population to use VPN connections to avoid government censorship. He said after his victory: “The difficult path ahead will not be smooth except with your companionship, empathy and trust.”

Pezeshkian’s victory is all the more remarkable since no reformist was allowed to stand in the last presidential election in 2021, and it was thought the high tide of Iranian reformism had long passed, with many voters convinced there was no point going to the polls since a “shadow government” took all the decisions.

The snap presidential election was caused by the death of Ebrahim Raisi, the incumbent, in a helicopter crash in May. Raisi had been seen as a potential successor to the 85-year-old supreme leader, and his death has thrown that succession into disarray. The decision is taken by an 88-strong body, the assembly of experts.

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Union of Fine Artists of the Republic of Moldova designates the winners of the national contemporary art salon
Culture

Union of Fine Artists of the Republic of Moldova designates the winners of the national contemporary art salon

The Union of Fine Artists of the Republic of Moldova has announced the winners of the National Contemporary Art Salon, the final exhibition-competition of 2024. Organized by the Union of Plastic Artists of the Republic of Moldova, this event highlights the engagement of artists in the creative process and their desire to enhance the world through art.

Correspondence from Bucharest: Romania elects its president – Vote of the Diaspora is important
International

Correspondence from Bucharest: Romania elects its president – Vote of the Diaspora is important

Romanians face a challenging task today, as 14 candidates are competing for the presidency at Cotroceni Palace. This count is effectively 13, considering the recent withdrawal of Ludovic Orban, who will still appear on the ballot papers. Polls show that the top five candidates have a chance of advancing to the second round, which will take place in two weeks. Additionally, parliamentary elections are scheduled for the following week.

Presidential elections in Romania// Over 80 thousand Moldovans with Romanian citizenship voted in the Republic of Moldova
Elections

Presidential elections in Romania// Over 80 thousand Moldovans with Romanian citizenship voted in the Republic of Moldova

A record number of Moldovans with Romanian citizenship participated in the presidential elections in Romania. According to real-time updated data, by 9:00 p.m., approximately 81 thousand Moldovans with Romanian citizenship voted in the 59 polling stations open in the Republic of Moldova. Voters from our country are among the most active in the diaspora.