By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
Iran just conducted their national elections. The result proved to be and it was a dismal failure for the leadership.
42% voter turnout. This was the lowest turnout in history - lowest since the 1979 Revolution.
"The turnout across the country was 42.57 percent," Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told a televised news conference on Sunday. "In [the capital] Tehran, it was around 25 percent. Across Iran, over 24 million people voted.
Only 25% turnout in Teheran. And not for lack of trying. The president had urged people to vote. The Supreme Leader, the Grand Ayatollah, pronounced that it was a religious obligation to vote.
National elections happen every four years in Iran. In 2012 there was a 66% turnout. In 2016 a 62%. This is the first dip below 50% - significantly below 50% and 20% off the last election.
The election was a referendum on the government. People are expressing their displeasure with the religious leadership. 1000’s of candidates were disqualified by religious leadership including 84 sitting members of parliament.
The government and the Grand Ayatollah have a different reason, however, for the lackluster turnout. Coronavirus.
Iranian leadership is claiming that enemies of Iran and enemies of Islam spread terrible rumors of the virus.
In truth, until now, 50 Iranians have died from the virus. That is more than any other country outside of China.
Yes, there is a fear in being in crowded places like polling stations. But that’s not why voters didn’t out.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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