It’s usual to focus on the victors in most elections, but this wasn’t quite the case for the recent parliamentary election in Iran, where the winner was pre-decided. Instead, emphasis was given on the number of individuals who would partake in this vote that was viewed as inconsequential by a vast number of Iranians.
The bulk of candidates from the opposition Reform Front were prohibited from participating beforehand and the period for the campaign was restricted to merely one week. Those advocating for a boycott faced arrest and to boost voting numbers, polling stations remained open additional six hours longer than initially planned. Nevertheless, only 41 percent of the eligible people voted, as per official statistics released following the election – the lowest voter turnout since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979. In Tehran, the capital city, less than a quarter of all eligible persons voted.
Out of the 290 seats in the Majlis (Parliament), nearly 45 seats remain to be filled via a secondary election in either April or May. The new assembly’s makeup appears to be virtually determined, with about 40 to 45 seats likely to be won by moderates or reformers. Among the remaining dominant faction of approximately 200 members, the primary conflict will be between conservatives and ultra-conservatives. Unfortunately, the number of female representatives has decreased from 16 to just eleven within the upcoming parliament.
In 2022, a nationwide revolt erupted due to the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, three days after her arrest by religious authorities for an alleged improper way of wearing her headscarf. The initial wave of nation-wide protests soon expanded with the addition of participants aggrieved by economic woes.
The government rebuffed any negotiations and responded with harsh crackdown leading to over 500 civilian casualties. With this, in 2022, the Iranian regime effectively separated itself from its citizens. Consequently, the nation appears to have reciprocated by distancing themselves from the government.