Voting extended as Iranians crowd polling stations in crucial election
| Tehran, Iran
Iranians took their political battles to the ballot box today, standing in long lines to vote聽in an election that could聽either loosen聽or deepen聽the hard-line grip on聽power.聽
The vote is widely seen as a referendum on President Hassan Rouhani, who聽reached聽a nuclear deal with the West聽that led to the聽lifting of sanctions last month, but聽who has been repeatedly thwarted in his bid to ease social restrictions聽that frustrate Iran鈥檚 bulging youth聽population.
His opponents dominate the current parliament in which聽290 seats are up for grabs today, holding out the prospect of change in the final years of Rouhani鈥檚 presidency. But many reformist candidates were disqualified, stacking the deck in favor of聽hard-liners.
Voters are also electing members of聽the Assembly of Experts, the聽88-member聽clerical body that oversees the work of the supreme leader. Voters from across Iran鈥檚 wide political spectrum often carried pre-printed candidate聽lists, to ensure voting for their political preference amid a bewildering 鈥� and often little known 鈥� array of candidates. 聽聽
鈥淲e are voting to support the current government 鈥� we want [Rouhani鈥檚] reforms to continue,鈥� says Mina, a student聽who works for the city鈥檚 subway system, who voted in a conservative district in east Tehran. She held a bright pink phone and propped her sunglasses on her head聽as she waited聽in line outside a mosque-turned-polling station.
鈥淢aybe Mr. Rouhani did not fulfill 100 percent of his promises, but with the [conservative] environment we have, we achieved a lot,鈥� says Mina, who gave only聽her first name.
The opposing camp could be found just two steps up the line, where Zahra Saboteh聽had brought her young daughter to the polling聽station, and was ready to elect hard-line candidates. Both wore聽black, multi-layered chadors.
鈥淲e are all voting because of our passion for the leader, so that foreign countries don鈥檛 interfere,鈥� says Mrs. Saboteh, referring to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a wave, and the only silence is when we are not there,鈥� she says. The call to prayer began and she pointed to the minaret above her: 鈥淥ur hope is with God, that those who deserve it are elected.鈥�
Legitimacy and nationalism
Ayatollah Khamenei cast the first ballot of the day, calling on each who 鈥渓oves Iran, who loves the Islamic Republic鈥� to rush to vote, in order to 鈥渞uin the hope of the enemies.鈥�
Ever since the 1979 Islamic revolution, high turnout has been used by officials as proof of legitimacy. State television聽cajoled voter turnout聽with nationalist themes, in keeping with Khamenei鈥檚 request that even those who don鈥檛 believe in the ruling system, or in him,聽have a civic duty to vote.
Enthusiasm for voting appeared to cut across party lines, with conservative and more reformist areas both seeing a steady flow of people. Voting was extended two hours because of the crowds. Long after dark, voters snaked around the block at one thronged polling station. 聽
High turnout was largely guaranteed, since the strategies of competing hard-line and moderate factions dovetailed when it came to getting people to the polls.
Not all Iranians are convinced. Mohammad, who gave only his first name, chose not to vote, despite being an active reformist in the late 1990s聽and joining聽post-election street protests in 2009聽over a disputed presidential election.
鈥淭his is the tool they use every time: Warn about hard-liners coming if reformists don鈥檛 vote [to increase turnout], but when they are elected they do what they want,鈥� he says, noting that his father, a senior military officer, also won鈥檛 vote.聽鈥淎ll their heads are in one stable. It鈥檚 always a decision between bad and worse.鈥�
But those standing in line said they had a good reason to vote.
For some, it was defiance.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here to vote for the [supreme] leader, and to prevent saying that 鈥楢ll options are on the table,鈥� 鈥� says Seyed Hossein Fayazabadi, a retired military sergeant. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here so nobody threatens an Iranian.鈥�
For others, the reason was change.
鈥淚f the hard-liners go to the parliament again, we know what will happen,鈥� says Mostafa Vahedi, a graphic design student with a flop-over haircut. 鈥淣ow, the young generation wants the reform, and the change to come.鈥�
