Iran election extended by two hours with turnout at just 27%
Source: The Guardian and agencies
Iran election extended by two hours with turnout at just 27%
Government hoping for strong turnout to ward off claims people are rejecting the regime by staying at home
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Fri 1 Mar 2024 17.36 GMT
Last modified on Fri 1 Mar 2024 21.11 GMT
Iranians voted for a new parliament on Friday with the turnout after 10 hours only 27%, and just 12% after eight hours in Tehran.
Officials unexpectedly announced that polling booths nationwide would be open an extra two hours until 10pm in an effort to raise the turnout. They predicted the eventual figure would be above the 42.5% recorded the last time parliamentary seats were contested in 2020.
The Iranian regime has placed great store in boosting turnout above the 2020 figure, a historic low, since it believes a strong show of political engagement will ward off claims it has run out of legitimacy, or is unable to deliver on the basic requirements of the Iranian people for economic progress and personal freedom.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/01/iran-election-extended-by-two-hours-with-turnout-at-just-27
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