The Golden Era of the Pezhkian Government
The golden era of the Pezhkian government is the time and season when any government begins its work in the world of politics, coupled with opportunities and chances that, if passed, might never offer such a wide and fertile ground for optimal management of affairs again. That golden time could be lost for a pittance, or reviving this opportunity might require double the preparation and incurring significant costs.
Typically, governments at the start of their term enjoy peak popularity and public support. Due to the unique promotional environment, the excitement and encouragement of the social base and capital, and the sense of triumph and hope among electoral supporters, who form the majority of voters, they have a more favorable platform than ever to advance their goals, priorities, and programs.
Again, typically, as time passes and the distance from the promotional environment and idealistic perception increases, the failure to achieve announced slogans, various incidents and events that manifest in the hard, complex, and intricate terrain of politics and governance, the trend of this public acceptance and popularity begins to decline. This is a common and widespread rule worldwide.
The fourteenth government came into power after several years of declining public acceptance, during a time when this downward trend slightly leveled and took on a positive, albeit slight, trajectory. However, the point was that the situation lacked tangible stability and firm rules, and from the very start, it seemed the government was walking on the edge of a knife.
When you inherit a dysfunctional structure and an undesirable situation acknowledged by critics, opponents, and allies alike, when you face various imbalances and major crises at multiple levels and have no possibility of major changes in the short term, to turn that edge-of-the-knife movement into an opportunity and platform for success and to maximize the benefit of the golden time at the start of the government’s term as mentioned, you have no option but cost-effective reforms with widespread inclusivity to avoid social disintegration and post-election despair.
Cost-effective reforms that are not time-consuming and do not require major changes or significant upheavals, thus not eliciting much resistance or stubbornness from opponents. On the other hand, at the start of the government’s term, the support and harmony of allies are at a desirable point, and everything is ready for a promising display and attracting public opinion.
In the case of the fourteenth government, interestingly, the grounds for acceptance and cooperation of public opinion are smooth and favorable with minimal challenges from government opponents. Strangely, not much benefit is derived from it, and instead, we witness the government proceeding in an opposite and incorrect path.
When the so-called principled faction comes to power in the government, parliament, or council elections, we witness major changes and the maximum absorption of their own forces. To the extent that Faridoddin Haddad-Adel said in an interview during the fourteenth presidential election that if Pourmohammadi or Pezhkian come to power, by the end of July 2024, such widespread changes will occur that there will be no room for busloads of managers.
This means that even government opponents know that major changes are necessary and had accepted that Pezhkian would also use his like-minded allies for the consolidation and strengthening of the fourteenth government. However, not only is the pace of changes slow and sluggish, but under the pretext of a strange interpretation of national consensus as a political joint-stock company, we see that now the supporters of Qalibaf show more satisfaction and alignment with appointments, a point that will result in a noticeable decline in the hope of supporters and consequently the government’s social capital.
Masoud Pezhkian made a great effort not to make promotional promises during the election to perhaps avoid the same decline in public opinion in the post-election environment. However, he emphasized a few important points, including lifting the filtering and improving the virtual space, which is achievable in a short time and was even emphasized by all presidential candidates. Yet, not only has nothing tangible occurred, but the bizarre and strange remarks of the Minister of Communications, which he later corrected but remained in the public’s memory as the initial statement, have exacerbated the unfavorable atmosphere towards the government.
Certainly, no one is looking to solve the numerous problems and major crises facing the country in a short time, and no such expectation exists. However, instead of using its golden time and taking actions that could enhance or at least stabilize its social capital with minimal cost and energy expenditure, the government is on a path that can be said to be wasting capital and weakening social capital, where the finger of blame cannot be pointed at government critics and requires a serious look at internal structure and a change in approach.
