But while he tries to run from the previous, unpopular regime, the opposition is making sure that he cannot hide.

The austerity program started in 1981 and the widespread poverty it introduced made the Communist regime very unpopular.

Like oil companies elsewhere, it has made friends with unpopular regimes and survived their downfalls.

For a regime already unpopular with many of its people, that could cause all kinds of problems and give rise to an Ayatollah Gorbachev.

The population at the time was some 300,000 and any popular revolt would mean the end of Andronikos' unpopular regime.

It weakens foreign confidence in Iran as an investment market and strengthens the domestic opponents of the increasingly unpopular regime.

He suggested that sabre-rattling offered a way for two unpopular regimes to attract nationalistic support.

That the rebels have now nearly won is seen by some as a portent: Other unpopular or repressive regimes may be equally vulnerable.

However, the results of an election can never be made certain before polling, preventing people from dismissing an unpopular regime.

Set-aside is a very unpopular regime both with farmers and the general public.