A parliament is supposed to represent the people of the country. The more representative it is, the more democratic the system is, and the happier the people are. The Iranian Majlis must also follow this principle.

However, the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission approved a bill on Sunday according to which the six provinces of Isfahan, Fars, East Azerbaijan, Zanjan, Lorestan, and Gilan will each be single electoral districts in the seventh Majlis elections. This is meant to be a test of the new electoral system, which proponents plan to eventually implement all over the country, making all of the provinces single electoral districts.

This bill and the proposed new electoral law are problematic. As a result villagers will probably be disempowered. Since the cities are much more highly populated than rural areas, it is likely that more Majlis seats will be won by candidates from the cities.

In the current system, cities and larger towns are single electoral districts and clusters of small towns and villages are grouped into single electoral districts. This guarantees that people living in rural areas always have a representative in the Majlis from their area. Many rural areas could be left without a representative in the Majlis if the new electoral law is implemented.

Rural folk already feel like decisions are made in the capital by officials who do not always take their best interests into consideration. If a candidate from a larger city wins a Majlis seat that is currently held by a Majlis deputy from a rural area it will only increase discontent in the villages. It should not be forgotten that a large percentage of the Iranian population lives in rural areas.

It is obvious that many Iranians are dissatisfied. They will become more dissatisfied if they feel that their voice is not being heard in the national capital.

The turnout at elections is a general indicator of the mood of the people. In the recent city and village council elections the turnout was extremely low, hitting record lows in some places. Although it is true that all over the world turnout is higher for national elections, and especially presidential elections, the drop in voter participation in the recent local council elections could not be entirely attributed to this factor.

A participatory democracy requires high voter participation. Every effort must be made to encourage people to vote. Everything that discourages people from voting must be avoided.

It is time to make the Majlis more representative not less representative. Iran is a diverse country. If the Majlis is filled with men from cities who are fairly well off financially, or at least middle class, what is everyone else supposed to think? When women, poor people, rural folk, and nomads look at Majlis deputies, they do not see many people like themselves who understand their problems.

Perhaps rural people should be guaranteed more seats in the Majlis. Nomads could be given seats, too, since very few people speak for their interests in the capital.

The current Majlis is less than 10 percent women. Perhaps Iran should guarantee women 20 or 30 percent of the seats, as the parliaments of some countries already do.

Iran is the pioneer of Islamic democracy. It is indisputably one of the most democratic countries in the Islamic world. Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Muslims all over the world, especially those living under despotic regimes, have looked to Iran. However, there are many enemies of Islam who seek to destroy Iran's Islamic Republic system.

All Iranians should defend the Islamic Revolution by working to refine and improve Iran's Islamic democracy. This could also raise the people's morale. If everyone works together toward the common goal, we can make an Islamic democracy that will be a model for the entire Islamic world.