Iran election: Regime’s crisis of confidence undercuts democracy
Iran’s presidential election next week comes at an especially challenging time for the Islamic Republic. Economic hardship has prompted lethal street protests; hopelessness about the future is pervasive, and voter apathy widespread; and campaigns to boycott the election have taken root.
Trending on Twitter is the hashtag in Persian: #NoWayIVote.
With the regime’s popular legitimacy appearing in the balance, the result has been a crisis of confidence among conservative power brokers and an unprecedented lurch away from democratic practices toward more autocratic methods.
Analysts warn these measures are likely only to further alienate voters across Iran’s political spectrum on election day, June 18.
The first sign that this election would be like no other came when the powerful Guardian Council announced the shortlist of vetted candidates.
Ensuring that the candidacy of hard-line judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi – a midranking and uncharismatic cleric who lost the
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