The recent announcement of the results of Iran’s first round of early presidential elections, following the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a plane crash on May 19, has sparked interest and debate about the future direction of the country. While no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, former Minister of Health Masoud Pezeshkian was declared the winner with approximately 42% of the votes cast in his favor. In second place was conservative Said Jalili, with around 39% of the votes.
However, it is important to note that while the president of Iran is considered the formal head of state, in reality, it is the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei who holds significant power over matters pertaining to governance and politics. This means that while Pezeshkian’s strong performance in this initial round may inspire more voters to support him in a runoff election, ultimately it will be Khamenei who will have a say in choosing Iran’s next leader.
The voter turnout for these elections was relatively low at just 40%, marking a new low for democratic participation in Iran. However, despite this low turnout, many are still eagerly awaiting the outcome and what it may mean for Iran’s future direction. As such, it remains to be seen whether Pezeshkian or Jalili will emerge victorious in this closely watched race.