Iran: Elections Without a Choice

The Presidential Election Ended in the Conservatives’ Predictable Victory

 

 

Vadym Volokhov

The Islamic Republic of Iran held presidential election on June 18. As expected, voter turnout was at a record low. For many Iranians, the outcome of the presidential election was predictable. They joked bitterly that the next President will be either Ebrahim Raisi or Sayyid Ebrahim Raisol-Sadati (Ebrahim Raisi’s full name).

According to preliminary data, 17.8 million voters supported him. Under IRI’s current legislation, the next president is the candidate who receives more than 50 % of the vote. Ebrahim Raisi has 61.95 % of the vote, and in 45 days he will become the thirteenth President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

A couple of important questions now arise:

  • Why Ebrahim Raisi?
  • What will happen to the JCPOA?
  • What can Iranians expect in the next four years?

It should be realized that elections in Iran, both fair and not quite, have always served as a “barometer” that measures the level of people’s support for the government and its participation in the society’s life. Today, the main trend was the election of the President by the Supreme Leader, and the low turnout did not matter much. The main trend is that power remained in the hands of conservatives, and  the clerical regime in general has remained too.

The article is available in Ukrainian

 

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