Legislative in Iran: Politics at the Polls to Encourage Voters to Vote

Text by: RFI Follow

Iranians are voting today to elect deputies to the Majlis. The Supreme Leader and President Rohani voted when the office opened. A way to encourage people to move, while the participation rate looks very low. The Iranians feel disconnected from the political class, and the invalidation of a good part of the reformist candidates has finished removing them from it.

Publicity

with our special correspondent , Oriane Verdier

In front of the cameras, a man in a suit and tie has just slipped his bulletin into the ballot box. It is Sayyed Mohammad Hosseini, former Minister of Culture under the Conservative President Ahmadinejad. " Today is an important day for me but also for the Iranian people, " he said. It is also important for the people of the region and other countries who are closely monitoring these elections to see how the Iranians are participating. Our people have problems but that does not make them indifferent towards the system, the interests of the country and international interests. "

As he leaves, another man enters the mosque. Elias Hazrati, reformist deputy, is among the thousands of candidates invalidated by the Guardian Council. Despite everything, he came to vote too. “ We are in a heavy conflict with the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, which is why we leave aside personal matters and quarrels between parties. This is why we participate in the elections, despite our complaints, criticisms and offenses. We have published a press release inviting people to participate and we ourselves are participating. That is why we came here today, to show that we are participating. "

The participation rate promises to be very low , 25% in Tehran, 50% throughout the country according to an Iranian polling agency. For many, this is to denounce the stall between the political class and the Iranian people.

► Read also: Legislative in Iran: the conservatives unite behind Mohammad Ghalibaf

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