Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his ballot for the presidential elections at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, on May 19, 2017. Picture by Parspix/ABACA/ABACA/PA Images. All rights reserved. For the presidential candidates, the Guardian Council does not actually disqualify any of the candidates, but the twelve unelected members appointed by the Supreme Leader, concoct a short list that includes not only the candidate they deem most suitable to be the president for the next four years, but also the rival candidates.
In order to ensure a large turnout, at least one bogey figure and a few other minions appear in the final short list. The purpose of this arrangement by the Guardian Council is to package something that would resemble a genuine election with real opposing factions and bustling excitement amongst the people.
What matters most is getting a high turnout. Iran's elections start with a general feeling of apathy among voters, but the establishment is highly skilled in turning the initial apathy into passionate enthusiasm. Crucial to this is the selection of the bogey figure, which in the last presidential election manifested itself in Rouhani's main rival, Ebrahim Raisi.
