Presidential election - Hardliners against reformers: Iran election counting underway
In Iran, after the presidential election runoff on Saturday morning, the first results are expected. Around 61 million people were called to vote between moderate politician Massud Peseschkian and hardliner Said Jalili. The unexpected election was scheduled following the death of incumbent Ebrahim Raisi in May due to a helicopter crash. The polling stations remained open through multiple extensions by the Interior Ministry into late evening hours.
From 80 candidates, the so-called Guardian Council, a powerful Islamic oversight body, only approved six as candidates. Two of them withdrew before the first round of voting. Unlike in many other countries, the president in Iran is not the head of state. The actual power lies with the Religious Leader Khamenei.
Reform candidate vs. hardliner
The reformist candidate Peseschkian is 69 years old and hails from the northwest of Iran. In his campaign, the previously unassuming politician called for renewed trust between the government and the people, who are disillusioned with failed reform attempts, political repression, and an economic crisis. Like many reformist candidates, he advocated for improved relations with the West.
Jalili was once part of the inner circle and worked in the office of the Religious Leader. Under the controversial former president Mahmud Ahmadinejad, Jalili served as chief negotiator in the nuclear talks. The hardliner enjoys broad support from radical and loyal system supporters. He is known as an iron-willed defender of the ideology of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Low voter turnout, high frustration
Official data from the first round on the previous Friday showed voter turnout reaching a record low of around 40%. This reflects the widespread disillusionment, particularly among the younger generation, who have lost faith in significant domestic political changes. The death of the young Kurdish woman Jina Masa Amini in the autumn of 2022 sparked nationwide protests against the Islamic ruling system.
Peseschkian received approximately 10.4 million (around 42.5%) votes, while Jalili received 9.4 million votes. For the conservative third-placed candidate, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, around 3.4 million Iranians cast their ballots. Ghalibaf then endorsed Jalili, giving the conservative faction a slight lead. Reformist candidate Peseschkian needs to win over a significant number of non-voters to secure a victory.
Iran's political system combines republican and theocratic elements since the 1979 Revolution. Free elections do not exist: The Guardian Council always vets candidates based on their ideological suitability. Criticism of the system at its core is not tolerated, as shown by the suppression of protests in recent years.
- After the run-off election on Saturday, the Ministry of the Interior in Iran began the process of counting the votes, with expectations of the first results soon.
- Despite the death of incumbent Ebrahim Raisi in May, the presidential election sequence continued, leading to a confrontation between moderate politician Massud Peseschkian and hardliner Said Jalili.
- In the run-off election, Said Jalili, who had experience working in the office of the Religious Leader, faced reform candidate Massud Peseschkian.
- Due to the unexpected election and low voter turnout, the choice for the presidential office in Iran remained uncertain, with Said Jalili relying on endorsements to narrow the gap with his competitor.
- In the event of a run-off election, Iran's minority followers of political Reformism, like Peseschkian, must persuade non-voters to back their candidate, securing a victory in the midst of a turbulent political climate.
- The Ministry of the Interior announced that the results of the presidential run-off election in Iran's capital, Tehran, would determine the new leader of the country, with Raisi's successor set to take office overseeing the complex political dynamics of the Islamic Republic.
