Majlis Elections 2012: 75 percent of principlists win vote for parliament

More than 65 percent of eligible voters have cast their ballots in Iran’s parliamentary elections, with 75 percent of the candidates from the Principlist camp winning their way into the chamber, according to unconfirmed results.

The results of the ballots in small towns and cities have been announced and vote counting in 150 electoral constituencies indicate a landslide victory for the Principlist camp for the 290-seat parliament.

Of the winners so far, 28 candidates are from the reformist camp, 10 from the team supporting the government and 112 Principlist team comprising of the United Front, Perseverance Front and independent candidates.

Prominent reformist figures including Mostafa Kavakebian, Mohammadreza Khabbaz and Qodratollah Alikhani have not won the vote in their constituencies.

Parvin Ahmadinejad, the sister of Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and long-time Principalist lawmaker Ahmad Nateq-Nouri, brother of former Majlis speaker Ali-Akbar Nateq-Nouri also failed to get a seat in parliament.

Over 48 million Iranian citizens were eligible to vote in the elections, 3.9 million of them for the first time. Voter participation in the capital Tehran was reportedly 48 percent.

Election Headquarters director Seyyed Sowlat Mortazavi said final results would be announced in 48 to 72 hours.