Candidates seeking to run for the presidency, parliament, and the Assembly of Experts, which appoints Ali Khamenei's successor, must be approved by the Guardian Council, the constitutional election watchdog. After Raisi's death, the Islamic Republic leader faces the challenge of re-engaging an electorate deeply disillusioned by recent elections. At the same time, efforts are being made to ensure that hardliners maintain control over the now largely ceremonial presidency, as state institutions undergo a purge to be filled entirely with Khamenei’s loyalists. According to official statistics, 40.6 percent of eligible voters participated in the first round of the recent parliamentary elections. In Tehran, 24 percent of the population voted, the lowest in any election in the Islamic Republic's history.
