The 12th round of Iran’s parliament opened Monday, shadowed by a historical low in voter turnout and public trust.
The event, attended by 276 members, was marked by the absence of popular engagement, illustrating a crisis of legitimacy within the Islamic Republic.
During the ceremony, where the oldest members formed a transitional presiding board, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the former Chairman for the Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security of the was appointed the temporary speaker.
Despite the presence of high-profile guests including foreign dignitaries and senior Iranian officials, the mood was undercut by the recent death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions and ongoing political disenfranchisement.
The elections that preluded Monday’s assembly were distinguished by their low participation. Official figures touted a turnout of 28 to 34 percent across various provinces during the March elections, but independent observers suggest the real numbers were far lower. The May 10 runoff saw an even more voter apathy, with an estimated 90% of Tehran’s electorate abstaining.
The widespread disinterest is rooted in the suppression of the 2022-2023 Woman, Life, Freedom protests and the disqualification of numerous candidates by the Guardian Council, which left the electoral field dominated by hardliners. Such actions have only solidified the belief among many Iranians that the current system is incapable of addressing the nation’s deep-seated issues, from escalating poverty to systemic corruption.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s message to the new parliamentarians urged them to “foster calm and hope.” Yet, such calls ring hollow against the backdrop of an election where even conservative bases showed reluctance to support a system seen as alienated from the public’s needs.
Khamenei also urged them to avoid “useless media competitions and harmful political disputes.”
Former parliament chiefs Ali Larijani and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, present at the ceremony, who are potential presidential contenders, represent a political establishment struggling to maintain relevance in a society marked by disillusionment and despair.
