Guangxu was made aware of such a plan, and asked Kang Youwei and his reformist allies to plan his rescue.

Mr. Yeltsin became increasingly embroiled in a fight with Parliament, surrendering one reformist ally after another.

The challenges Mr. Khatami and his reformist allies face were in clear evidence today.

But the assessment also blames Iran's president, Mohammad Khatami, and his reformist allies within the government for squandering their political capital through "their refusal to back bold promises with equally bold actions."

Economic reforms began after Deng Xiaoping and his reformist allies ousted the Gang of Four Maoist faction.

There had signs in late 2010s that Mr Kiệt's reformist allies had been losing their influence.

In late May a number of Hun Sen's reformist allies (including Transport Minister Ung Phan) were arrested, apparently for trying to establish a rival political party.

His reformist allies say Mr. Khatami has strong doubts about running for a second term in June.

President Khatami and his reformist allies are a symbol of that modernisation.

Much depends on whether Mr. Gorbachev and his reformist allies survive.