Iran dissidents urge vote boycott as leaders eye high turnoutAnalysts say Iran's leaders want to see a high turnout to bolster their legitimacy. "Participating in elections and voting... is a religious duty" that will strengthen the Islamic republic against the "propaganda" of its enemies, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday. - 'Stage-managed' -Opponents outside Iran argue that the government's pressure on citizens to vote means that anyone who casts their ballot is effectively legitimising the system. - City turnout -Turnout has varied widely in Iranian parliamentary elections over the past decades, but has generally been recorded at more than 50% and sometimes topping 60% -- a figure the authorities will want to see repeated on Friday. On the other hand, "supporters of the principalists are expected to turn out and vote.

Source: Bangkok Post February 19, 2020 04:41 UTC