International
Conservatives win Iranian elections with lowest turnout in republic’s history
Iranian conservatives have comfortably retained their majority in Parliament in an election marked by the lowest voter turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the first since the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
After three days of counting, the Electoral Commission announced that 245 members of Parliament had been elected in the first round of the legislative elections, the majority of whom are conservatives, reported the official IRNA news agency.
Another 45 seats will be decided in a runoff in April or May, as candidates failed to secure at least 20% of the votes in their constituencies, with 16 of them in Tehran.
Iran held elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts on Friday amid popular discontent, disqualification of reformist politicians advocating for gradual openness in the country, and calls for boycott.
Low turnout, yet higher than expected
Preliminary data from IRNA indicated a turnout of 41%, compared to 42.5% in the previous legislative elections, which was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2016, voter turnout was 61.6%.
This would mark the lowest turnout in the 45-year history of the Islamic Republic, although polls had predicted an even lower turnout, possibly as low as 30%.
In Tehran, turnout was reported at 24%, according to reformist outlets like Shargh.
Official turnout figures have not been made public, remaining one of the main uncertainties of the elections, which were held amidst calls for boycott from politicians and activists, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who is currently imprisoned.
A blow to “Iran’s stubborn opponents”
Despite the low turnout, authorities hailed it as a success.
“This presence, full of passion and understanding, was another blow to Iran’s stubborn opponents after the historic blow they received in last year’s riots,” said President Ebrahim Raisi last Saturday.
The president retained his seat in the Assembly of Experts, which is elected every eight years, with 82% of the vote in the South Khorasan province, where he faced only one other rival.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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