Iran's election sees estimated 40% turnout, lowest since 1979 revolution
Unofficial reports from Saturday suggest that the turnout for Iran's parliamentary election, a crucial test for the clerical establishment's legitimacy, hovered around 40%.
This figure represents the lowest voter participation since the Islamic revolution in 1979. The election, primarily contested by hardliners and low-profile conservatives loyal to Islamic revolutionary ideals, saw moderate and conservative heavyweights abstain, while reformists denounced the election as neither free nor fair.
The official turnout figures are expected to be released by the interior ministry later on Saturday. Tehran's leadership aimed for high voter engagement to restore its credibility, severely undermined by the 2022-23 anti-government protests that led to significant political unrest.
Despite predictions from official surveys that only about 41% of eligible Iranians would cast their vote, reports indicate that the turnout did indeed align with these forecasts. The Hamshahri newspaper reported a participation rate of 41%, equating to over 25 million voters, despite widespread calls for an election boycott.
The turnout marks a decrease from the 42.5% recorded in the 2020 parliamentary elections and a significant drop from the 62% participation rate in 2016. The election was also conducted alongside a vote for the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a key body responsible for selecting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's successor.
