The President-Select

A nickname for the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, reflecting suspicions that the country’s recent elections were less than fair.

Discussing the aftermath of the Iranian elections in The National, Michael Theodoulou wrote:

Iran’s leading reformists, braving dire threats, have branded Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government “illegitimate” and signalled their resolve to undermine it by channelling public anger and frustration into new forms of peaceful protest that will neutralise the regime’s main weapon: its proven ability and readiness to crack heads on the street.

Mir Hossein Mousavi, the man millions of Iranians believe was the rightful winner of the “stolen” June 12 elections, urged his followers on Wednesday to use their “creativity” and find “effective” political, economic and cultural ways for continuing their protests. …

Apart from being buffeted by inventive challenges from the opposition, Mr Ahmadinejad can expect a turbulent period during parliament’s confirmation of his new cabinet. The 290-seat assembly made apparent its disdain for the “president-select” – a phrase coined by an Iranian analyst – when two-thirds of its members failed to attend Mr Ahmadinejad’s “victory” party last month.

(In 2000, George W. Bush was nicknamed the President-Select after he became president despite not winning the popular vote.)