The ultra-conservative Raisi / Article has been elected the new President of Iran

The ultra-conservative Raisi has been elected the new president of IranRihards Plūme00:00 / 03:33

–Although data on turnout have not yet been published, it is clear that it has been low due to people’s dissatisfaction with various issues. The elections took place at a time when Tehran is continuing talks with the world’s powers on the fate of the 2015 nuclear pact, while dissatisfied with the severe economic and social crisis in the sanctioned country’s society.

The ultra-conservative chairman of the justice system, Ebrahim Raisi, was quick to win the Iranian presidential election. This is because Iran’s election observation body as a whole rejected more than 98% of the nearly 600 candidates, including the ex-president, regime critics and all 40 female candidates. That was one of the reasons why many voters did not vote.

Voter turnout was likely to be below 50%, according to polls, so voting on Friday was only extended by two hours and ended only at night at local time.

On election day, state television broadcasts were dominated by flag-waving voters at polling stations, but further away were angry people.

Anger at the election, they say, is like a theater aimed at strengthening ultraconservative control. Observers say polling stations in the capital were mostly empty, except in some southern districts. Voter interest was further dampened by rapid inflation and job losses, as well as the pandemic, which turned out to be more deadly in Iran than anywhere else in the region.

Already on the morning of Saturday, June 19, Raisi’s competitors congratulated him on winning the election, but the results announced later indicated that the clergyman had received 62% support. The winner of the election will take office in August, becoming Iran’s eighth president and taking over from moderate Hasan Ruhani, who has served a maximum of two four-year terms.

The future of Iran under Raisy’s leadership was assessed by Scott Lukass, a professor at the University of Birmingham: We know that Iran is facing serious economic challenges. This is partly due to US sanctions, but to a large extent it is due to internal problems. These are corruption, its problems in the banking sector and its productivity problems. Raisi has not offered any economic policy to address this and indicate what he will do. We also do not know how the 2015 nuclear talks will end and whether US sanctions will be lifted. It depends on the top leader how effectively he consolidates the country in this time of uncertainty. “

Supporters of Raisi have said they are voting for him because the cleric has promised to fight corruption, help the poor and build millions of apartments for low-income families.

He is considered close to the 81-year-old supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Hamene, who has the most political power in Iran.

Raisi, who has a deeply conservative view of many social issues, including the role of women in public life, has been described in the Iranian media as a possible successor to Hämeenlinna. Meanwhile, for opposition and human rights groups, Raisi’s name is associated with the mass execution of political prisoners in 1988.

Iran’s ultra-conservative camp has blamed current President Ruhani for a failed 2015 nuclear deal. Nevertheless, there is a broad consensus among Iran’s top politicians, including Raisy, that the country should look for a way to end US sanctions in the Vienna talks.

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