1975 Iranian general election

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]

1975 Iranian legislative election

20 June 1975
All 268 seats in the Majlis 30 seats in the Senate
Leader Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Party Rastakhiz Party Majlis votes 100% Majlis seats 268 Seat change New Senate votes 100% Senate seats 30 Seat change New
Prime Minister before election Amir-Abbas Hoveyda Rastakhiz Party Elected Prime Minister Amir-Abbas Hoveyda Rastakhiz Party

It was the last election held under Pahlavi dynasty.[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 several candidates for the seats.[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	N/A	–	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. I. Oxford University Press. pp. 69, 74. ISBN 978-0-19-924958-9.
2. 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. 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