The Transition from "Baladiyeh" to "Council": An Examination of the Legal Roots of Local Governance in Iran

The Constitutional Revolution stands as a pivotal turning point in the history of Iran’s political transformations, marking the beginning of a gradual transition from absolute monarchy to the rule of law and local governance. Local governance first emerged within Iranian administrative law during this era. In this period, Municipal Associations (Baldeh) were established as one of the most significant institutions of administrative decentralization in the country, assuming responsibility for urban administration. These associations were the first entities to expand the role of citizens in managing public affairs, thereby laying the foundation for the institutionalization of local democracy. Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, councils were re-introduced into the principles of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Employing a descriptive-analytical method and relying on legal documents, this article examines the evolution of the status and performance of local councils across three historical periods: Qajar, Pahlavi, and the Islamic Republic. The findings indicate that while councils have been positioned as institutions representing public will at the local level in all three eras, they have simultaneously faced executive, legal, and political obstacles. A comparative analysis of these three periods offers a deeper understanding of the relationship between popular participation and power structures within Iran’s public law system, providing a basis for rethinking local governance institutions.