A senior lawmaker predicts there will be diverse voices in the new Majlis that will make it more effective.
Speaking to reporters after registering for the upcoming Majlis elections scheduled for Feb. 26, 2016, Ali Motahhari, Tehran's representative in Majlis, said candidates who are open-minded, independent and are not indebted and beholden to anyone or any group should be elected, IRNA reported on Wednesday.
While the principlist parties, which have held the majority in the past three parliaments, are forging an alliance to win elections, reformists are closing ranks to get a bigger share of votes.
"We hope to get the majority of votes and emerge winner," Mohammad Reza Aref, a prominent reformist, said on October 17."Our plan is to coordinate the efforts of reformists with that of government allies."
Motahhari also said "the next Majlis should properly fulfill its main duties, which are making laws and overseeing its implementation".
To achieve this goal, he said internal regulations and management procedure of parliamentary efforts need to be modified.
Mostafa Kavakebian, a reformist politician and former lawmaker, said on the same day that no one should doubt about participating in the election, because it determines the nation's destiny.
Stressing the importance of the parliament's role in the Iranian system, he said it determines the direction in which the country moves.
"The government, police, Intelligence Ministry, judiciary and Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting should ensure fairness to all candidates," he said.
He hoped the outcome of people's vote will give rise to a parliament that "really" checks and challenges the work of the government and other bodies.
Kavakebian also touched upon the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the formal name of Iran's nuclear deal with P5+1 (the US, Britain, France, China and Russia, plus Germany), saying the broad participation of Iranians in elections will convey a message that they cannot ignore the power of an Iranian system that is strongly backed by the nation.
"High voter turnout also shows that the nation supports JCPOA and the Islamic Republic of Iran will properly implement it," he said.
There are currently 290 seats in the parliament, elected by the direct vote of people in nationwide elections for four years.
On December 19, Iran started the registration process for Majlis elections and December 25 would be the deadline for potential candidates planning to participate. Secretary of Election Headquarters Ali Pourali Motlaq said on Wednesday 5,278 candidates have signed up for the Majlis elections by Dec. 23, 426 of whom are women.
