Iran has recorded its lowest voter turnout since the 1979 Revolution. Less than 50 per cent of the country’s eligible voting community showed up at the country’s parliamentary polls due to political unrest and a coronavirus outbreak. This makes it the worst performing Iran election per number of voters.
Number of votes not surprising – Iran’s Interior Minister
Addressing the media on Sunday, two days after the February 21st polls in a televised news conference, Iran’s Interior Minister, Adolreza Rahmani Fazli said: “The turnout across the country was 42.57 per cent…in [the capital] Tehran, it was around 25 per cent. Across Iran, over 24 million people voted.”
Fazli further explained that the elections took place under less-than-ideal circumstances, forcing the ministry to accept its end result, saying: “We believe that the number of votes and the turnout is absolutely acceptable.” It is imperative to note that these less-than-ideal circumstances might be a reference to the current coronavirus epidemic in the country. Two days before the polls, the middle eastern country confirmed its first coronavirus case and this number has increased to 43 recorded cases in four cities, including the Iranian capital, Tehran.
By Sunday, eight people had been confirmed dead in Iran from the coronavirus, making it the country with the highest death toll outside China, where the outbreak started and has resulted in the death of more than 2,400 people.
However, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while asking voters to come out en masse to fulfil their “religious duty,” also claimed that news of the coronavirus was “negative propaganda” spread to dissuade voters from heading to the polls. Speaking through his website, Khamenei said, “Their media did not miss the tiniest opportunity for dissuading Iranian voters and resorting to the excuse of disease and the virus.”
Another alleged factor in the low turnout was the decision to disqualify more than 7,000 potential reformist and moderate candidates including 90 sitting members who were seeking re-election in Iran’s 290-seat parliament. This, in turn, limited voters’ options to conservative candidates who, state media predict, will dominate the country’s parliament with 219 confirmed wins already.
Massive Drop
In comparison to figures from the last polls in 2016 where voter turnout was recorded at 62 per cent, this year’s figures are abysmal. Likewise, 2012 was also a good year for the country with a voter turnout of 66 per cent. Unfortunately, this year’s Iran election could not compete with these numbers.
