Hundreds of thousands of Iranians are heading to the polls in a snap election on Friday following the death of next President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.
Facing dire headwinds, including a poor economy, regional tensions and the potential re-election of Donald Trump, Iran’s leadership is looking for key turnout to support its radical program.
Here’s what to understand regarding strictly managed elections.
why now?
The snap vote was prompted by Raisi’s death in a helicopter strike on May 19 as Iran sought to replace the hardline cleric, who was seen as a possible successor to Iran’s idealistic leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s leaders have traditionally considered high turnout a sign of legitimacy — and that’s even more notable now as the country tries to prove patience and stability after Raisi’s death.
Ahead of Friday’s vote, Khamenei called for “maximum” turnout. However, turnout in parliamentary elections in March was low, at 41%, according to Reuters, which cited the country’s interior minister.
For many Iranians, elections are merely an officialism providing the illusion of freedom, said Afshin Shahi, assistant coach in Middle East politics at Keele College in England.
“As a result, a large portion of the population no longer takes these elections seriously,” he said.
‘Fair’ in referendum?
The campaign began with six applicants selected by a radical panel of clerics and jurists – a list that was cut from 80 unvetted candidates by Iran’s appointed parent council.
Recently two have left their studies.
Of the additional 4, 3 are considered radicals associated with Khamenei, including a cleric. In Visam Yatra, a relatively enthusiastic candidate was allowed to run.
The additional moderate candidate, Massoud Pezeshkian, is a cardiac surgeon and former fitness minister, who has campaigned on an agreement with the West to better protect family members, including negotiations on a return to the 2015 JCPOA, which freed Tehran’s nuclear weapons. The program was put on hold. Changes to blank restrictions.
The election is not expected to produce any sweeping changes, and Khamenei will still take positions on issues of all sizes, although the president may have some influence in how those policies are implemented.
“The president can influence the tone and tenor of foreign policy, but he does not have the authority to make independent foreign policy decisions,” said Sanam Vakil, director of the Center East and North Africa Program at the London-based institute Chatham Area. Tank. “And certainly he is important to direct the economic policy and social agenda and climate inside Iran.”
economic system
Iran finds itself in a dire financial situation due to stringent international sanctions and world isolation.
Sanctions reimposed by then-President Donald Trump following the historic Obama-era nuclear industry withdrawal left the federal government with a revenue shortfall and depressed living standards for ordinary Iranians.
“Economy is the main topic of this election,” the lawyer said. “The common people are suffering, and inflation is really high. But economic policy is very much tied to Iran’s stance vis-à-vis the West, its nuclear program and, ultimately, sanctions.
The candidate who refused actually pushed financial insurance policies, Vakil said.
“They are calling for more effective efforts to manage sanctions,” he said.
rights of women
Deni ladies are on the ballot, and any Deni girl has ever been given a license to run for president in Iran.
The situation of the girls will be on the minds of many following the death of a Kurdish Iranian girl after she was detained by the country’s morality police.
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022 prompted women-led demonstrations across the country, shaking up the clerical status quo and sparking a dramatic executive action.
All contenders in the race have distanced themselves from violence or harsh punishment meted out to women caught without hijab, although the problem is likely to persist.
“Social freedom is really at the forefront of voters’ minds,” the lawyer said.
regional tensions
The fighting in the Gaza Strip, in which Iran sponsors Hamas, has resulted in the largest regional tensions yet and has already led to Iran directly attacking Israel within the month.
Friday’s election results are not going to change that course, Shahi said.
He said, “Just before Election Day, the Supreme Leader publicly confirmed that fundamental aspects of Iranian foreign policy, such as support for terrorist groups throughout the region and anti-Americanism, are irreversible.”
However, American politics weighed on Friday’s vote.
Trump has repeatedly emerged throughout the campaign as an unpredictable foe who may be even tougher than President Joe Biden.
“I think most candidates are considering a Trump victory,” Vakil said. “And they are trying to position themselves as the appropriate candidate to manage a more confrontational situation with the United States.”
Discover more from news2source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
