Iran Holds First Election Amidst Concerns Of Low Turnout

Voting is under way in Iran as the country holds its first elections since the 2022 anti-government protests.

Friday’s elections are seen as a crucial test of legitimacy and national support for Iran’s leadership but a low turnout is expected.

More than 61.2 million people are eligible to vote.

Two separate polls are taking place on Friday: one to elect the next members of parliament, and another to elect members of the Assembly of Experts.

The assembly selects and oversees Iran’s most powerful figure and Commander-In-Chief, the supreme leader who makes key decisions on issues important to voters, such as social freedoms and economic conditions.

On Thursday, current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has held the position for more than three decades encouraged voters to cast their ballots.

Refraining from voting “would not solve anything”, he said.

In the run-up to the elections, state media tried to encourage voting and build enthusiasm by airing dozens of elections specials and creating new channels to give candidates airtime.

Voter turnout is expected to be low, however, with a state-linked polling agency projecting a 41% turnout for the parliamentary elections which, if accurate, will be the lowest turnout in the past 12 such ballots.

Many Iranians are reluctant to vote or choosing not to following the mass protests of 2022, which were triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

BBC