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Parliamentary elections were held in Iran on 20 June 1975. All 268 seats were won by the new monarchist party, the Rastakhiz Party. Voter turnout was 48.6%,[1] although according to official reports, for both houses, out of an electorate of 14 million, 70 percent (9.8 million) registered to vote and 52 percent of the electorate (about 7 million) cast its vote.[2]

This was the final election held under the rule of the Shah of Iran before the Iranian Revolution of 1979.[3]

Campaign

Around 750 candidates contested the elections, of which 80% were standing for the first time.[4] All candidates had to adhere to three basic principles: "faith in Iran's constitution, loyalty to the monarchical regime, and fidelity to the 'white revolution'." Mainly the rules were to follow a set of non-exploitation laws.

However, the Rastakhiz Party, like others before it, lacked a popular base.[5] Even though the candidates adhered to the philosophy of the rule by the monarchy, there were sometimes three or four candidates for the same seats as the party slated multiple.[6] However, Communists were banned from running for office.[7]

Electoral system

Members of the Majlis were elected using the multiple non-transferable vote system. Tehran was allocated twenty-seven seats, Tabriz nine, Shiraz seven, Isfahan five and Ahwaz, Abadan, Babol, Rasht, Rezaieh, Karaj, and Kermanshah three. Of the remaining seats, twenty-five were allocated in two-member districts, and 139 in single-member districts.[2]

Results

Majlis

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Rastakhiz Party 100 268 New
Invalid/blank votes
Total 6,805,651 100 268 0
Source: Nohlen et al., IPU

Senate

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Rastakhiz Party 100 30 New
Appointed seats 30 0
Invalid/blank votes
Total 60 0
Source: IPU

References

  1. ^ Nohlen, Dieter; Grotz, Florian; Hartmann, Christof (2001). "Iran". Elections in Asia: A Data Handbook. Vol. I. Oxford University Press. pp. 69, 74. ISBN 978-0-19-924958-9.
  2. ^ a b Hassan Mohammadi-Nejad (1977). "The Iranian Parliamentary Elections of 1975". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 8 (1): 103–116. doi:10.1017/S0020743800026787. JSTOR 162456.(subscription required)
  3. ^ P. Bearman; Th. Bianquis; C.E. Bosworth; E. van Donzel; W.P. Heinrichs (1986). "Mad̲j̲lis". In W. Madelung; Rahman, Munibur; Landau, J. M.; Yapp, M.E.; Robinson, F.C.R. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. 5 (Second ed.). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0606. ISBN 9789004161214.
  4. ^ 1975 IPU
  5. ^ Iran - Political parties Nations Encyclopedia
  6. ^ Janda, Kenneth (1980). Political Political Parties: A Cross-National Survey Archived 2006-10-04 at the Wayback Machine. The Free Press. pp. 861–862. ISBN 978-0-02-916120-3
  7. ^ Abrahamian, Ervand (1989). Radical Islam: the Iranian Mojahedin. I.B.Tauris. p.25. ISBN 978-1-85043-077-3


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