Call for Bipartisanship, Young People in Cabinet Reshuffle

Lawmakers have urged reelected President Hassan Rouhani to reshuffle his Cabinet and appoint young and dynamic people to senior positions.

Rouhani is under pressure from the rival conservatives as well as his reformist and moderate supporters to improve the efficiency of his Cabinet by replacing aging ministers.

"He should reduce the [average] age of his cabinet and bring in younger and more efficient and capable people," Hamid Reza Kazemi told ICANA on Saturday.

"The government's old guard and managers should be reassigned to think thanks or serve as advisors," Kazemi said.

Ardeshir Nourian, another member of parliament, said the large turnout in the May 19 presidential election reflected a popular demand that Rouhani appoint ministers from across the political spectrum.

"If all political persuasions are represented in the government, it would boost the country's integrity and strength… Rouhani is expected to respond to the 41 million plus people who participated in the elections by properly determining the composition of his Cabinet."

Nourian was echoing earlier remarks by Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Motahhari, in which he asked Rouhani to also consider posts for efficient people from the rival conservative camp who have a stellar record in management. 

This means a departure from the normal practice by newly-elected governments, especially when executive power changes hands between reformists and conservatives, to get rid of senior managers appointed by their predecessors and replacing them with insiders and political loyalists.

Rouhani won reelection with 57% of the vote, 8 million more than his nearest conservative rival Ebrahim Raeisi came in a distant second with 15.7 million votes.