4 - Ahmadinejad and Secularisation: Rupture or Continuity?

Summary

Chapter 4 examines the 2005 and 2009 elections, which brought conservative hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. In a similar vein to the previous chapter, it is argued here that, although conservatives stand in opposition to reformists, they are no less secularized than the latter. Surprisingly, and in contrast to the dominant narrative, Ahmadinejad’s 2005 election campaign was not centered on revolutionary values, such as obedience to the Leader, jihad and an ascetic Marxism. While the election was a victory for the conservatives, it did not usher in a return to early revolutionary values. As this chapter will demonstrate, during this period the social and political mindset of Iranians and their values changed tremendously, and domestic politics gradually become indifferent to religion. Significantly, the introduction of televised presidential election debates saw candidates cross many redlines and break many political and religious taboos.