Member of Parliament Hossein Marashi said on Sunday that while a high turnout at the election might be desirable for the government, it might also become a double-edged sword. Pointing to the high degree of factionalism in Iranian politics, Marashi argued that a high turnout would be motivated by emotional participation which could lead to deeper divisions among the electorate after the result is announced. Marashi’s comments in some ways allude to the 2009 election, where a high turnout was followed by protests and violence.
