Devendra Kumar
The initial vote counting in Tehran’s parliamentary election has reportedly given hardliners an advantage, according to state media. The Iranian Students’ News Agency (IRNA) and state TV cited an interior ministry report stating that 1,960 out of 5,000 ballots in Tehran have been counted so far. This early trend may not necessarily indicate the ultimate outcome of the election, but it does suggest that hardliners may be able to maintain their control over the parliament.
Tehran’s electoral process has been marked by a significant turnout, with reports indicating that 41% of eligible voters have cast their ballots. This is higher than the 42% turnout in the last parliamentary election in 2019, which was seen as the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The high turnout may be a sign of growing popular discontent with the current regime, but it is unclear whether this sentiment will ultimately translate into a significant shift in the composition of the parliament.
Under Iranian law, the parliament has a variety of roles, including overseeing the executive branch and voting on treaties. However, in practice, absolute power in Iran rests with its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The supreme leader’s influence is reflected in the fact that hardliners have controlled the parliament for the past two decades, with chants of “Death to America” often heard while in session.
The parliamentary election comes at a time when Iran is facing increasing pressure on multiple fronts, including from the United States and the European Union, which have imposed sanctions in response to the country’s human rights record and its nuclear program. The election is also seen as a test of the clerical regime’s resolve to maintain its grip on power in the face of growing popular discontent.
The election has been colored by the recent nationwide protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Ms Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died on September 16th, 2022, after her arrest by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s strict headscarf law. The protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran’s clerical rulers, and a severe clampdown followed, in which over 500 people were killed and nearly 20,000 arrested, according to human rights activists in Iran.
As the initial results become clearer, it remains to be seen how the election will play out in the coming days and weeks. The outcome is likely to have significant implications for Iran’s domestic and foreign policy, and will be closely watched by the international community. In the meantime, hardliners appear to be maintaining their advantage in the initial vote counting, but only time will tell whether this trend will continue.