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The polls have been closed in the second round of Iran’s parliamentary elections held in 10 electoral districts, and the authorities mobilized some 100,000 people to ensure a smooth process.
Friday’s race for the remaining 10 parliamentary seats was held at 3,100 polling stations after months of delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The first round in February saw the lowest voter turnout in the Islamic republic’s 40-year history and resulted in its most conservative parliament.
“It doesn’t look like the political dynamics in parliament are going to change,” Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig said, reporting from Tehran on Friday.
“Two-thirds of those seats still belong to the Conservatives, and that’s not good news for Rouhani. [reformist-aligned] government ”before the presidential elections next year, he added.
In July, conservative members of parliament interrupted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and denounced him as a liar during a speech to the 290-member body, or majlis.
Online Campaigns
Issues dominating Iranian politics include the state of the economy, corruption, and crippling sanctions reimposed by the United States in the wake of its unilateral withdrawal in 2018 from a landmark nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers in 2015.
In Golestan province in northeastern Iran, residents said they wanted to see the action of their elected representatives.
“I hope my legislator cooperates with the people,” said one voter.
Politicians are encouraging more people to come out and vote, but the pandemic complicates the situation, while candidates have been banned from campaigning in the streets.
“As the Health Ministry warned against any public gathering, we asked candidates to post their campaigns online,” said Jamal Orf, chairman of Iran’s electoral commission.
During the inaugural session of the new parliament in May, Rouhani, who is in the final year of his second and final term, called on parliamentarians to place the “national interest above special interests,” the “interests of the parties. “or” electoral interests. ” .
The body, which was previously dominated by the reformist-moderate Rouhani camp, is now made up of a majority of 220 conservative politicians, including more than 50 who are close allies of hard-line former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
There are also 38 independent legislators and 18 in favor of reform and moderates, compared to 136 in the previous House.
The number of women parliamentarians is 16, compared to 17 before.
