Iran: turnout, a major issue in parliamentary elections

Text by: RFI Follow

The participation rate is one of the main issues in the legislative elections on Friday February 21 in Iran. Reformers and moderates, supporters of President Hassan Rohani, say that many of their candidates have been disqualified.

Publicity

From our correspondent in Tehran, Siavosh Ghazi

The Council of Guardians of the Constitution, dominated by ultra-conservatives, responsible for overseeing the polls, notably approving the candidates, defended its policy.

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Despite criticism from reformers and moderators who claim that many of their candidates, including outgoing MPs, have been disqualified , President Hassan Rohani has again called on voters to participate in the ballot. High turnout is a response to US pressure, he said in substance.

For his part, Abbas Ali Kadkhodaie, spokesman for the Council of Guardians of the Constitution, defended the “ neutrality ” of the Council. Some 7,150 people, or half of the candidates, were disqualified by the Council. Among them, there are reforming tenors, but also candidates who did not meet the criteria required by law.

Fear of low participation

Asked about the consequences of a participation of less than 50% in the poll, Abbas Ali Kadkhodaie affirmed that in such a situation it will be like in France or in certain western countries, where during certain elections the participation does not reach 50 %. He said that such participation did not call into question the legitimacy of the ballot.

The deterioration of the economic situation since the return of American sanctions and the events of recent months, including the riots of last November , raise fears of a low turnout in Friday's polls.

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• Iran
• Hassan Rohani

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