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Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections are set for June 24. Video: Produced by Karwan Faidhi Dri, Robert Edwards, Edited by Mehmed Alsafar
Snap elections headlined Turkish media after Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Republican People’s Party, challenged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2017 to call for an early election, but the opposition leader’s requests were mocked by Erdogan.
“They did not find anything. They thought and thought what to do. Now they insist on a snap election. Oh my God! The election time is already set,” Erdogan said adding that when they held early elections in June 2015, CHP was “embarrassed,” referring to the party’s loss of votes.
But on March 18, Erdogan called for presidential and parliamentary snap elections to be held on June 24, following a meeting with Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The elections were initially scheduled for November 2019.
Incumbent Erdogan wants to strengthen his mandate to address Turkey’s struggling economy, tackle domestic strife, and green light many of his controversial foreign policies including military intervention in Syria and Iraq.
These elections are seen as very significant and sensitive following Turkey’s 2018 offensive on the Kurdish city of Afrin in Syria which resulted in large displacement, sparking outrage among the Kurdish population in Turkey whom Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) heavily depends on in most elections, as evidenced in the constitutional referendum in 2017.
They also follow the current cabinet barely escaping the failed military coup of 2016. The subsequent imposition of a state of emergency — still in place during the elections — has concerned rights organizations. The government blames the Gulen Movement for the coup, but has used its powers to crackdown on any state dissent by Turks and Kurds.
The politicization of Turkey’s judiciary is also a concern, as the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) members have been repeatedly detained, arrested, and jailed for terror-related charges, including their former co-chair Selahattin Demirtas, Kurd, who is running for presidency from behind bars.
These elections are also first since the constitutional referendum narrowly passed by a 51-49 margin. The constitutional changes shifted governance from a parliamentary to presidential system. It will take effect immediately after the new president is sworn in.
The race for president
Six candidates are racing for the position of president but the election is widely seen as a two horse race between Erdogan and his nearest rival Muharrem Ince from Republican People's Party (HDP).
The two are seeking the votes of nationalist Turks and Kurdish minorities, especially the radical ones living in rural areas.
Erdogan who founded his AKP in 2001 has been serving as prime minister from 2003 to 2014. He has been the country’s president since then.
Known for his oratory, he has been able to secure a large number of votes from different components of the country.
He prefers to be portrayed as the protector of Muslims. He has shown support for Islamic schools, lifting the ban on headscarves, and promoting family values like asking women to have at least three children. He has been accused by his opponents for Islamizing the country which was hailed for the secular principles set by its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Ince, whose party was founded by Ataturk, has promised to put an end to his main rival’s dreams of creating a one-man rule. He has made it to the parliament as an MP for four times during Erdogan’s tenure as premier and president. His election campaign has been seen as the most proactive among other opposition parties who suffer from financial issues.
Demirtas is the only Kurdish candidate running for the presidency. He is deprived of the right to campaign like other candidates. So far, he has only been permitted to convey messages through written interviews with local and international news outlets and through tweets through his lawyers. Turkey’s electoral body (YSK) has allowed for state-run TRT to film him for 20 minutes, but the filming is yet to happen.
Referred to as “Kurdish Nelson Mandela,” his perceived martyrdom could win him wider support among voters angered by attacks on civil liberties. If he implausibly won the election, he would immediately be released from prison.
Meral Aksener, referred to as the “she-wolf” of Turkey, left the MHP and founded IYI (Good) Party in October 2017 in protest of the policies of party’s leader Bahceli who supported the constitutional changes in the referendum.
She revels in the fact that if she wins she would be the country’s first woman president. Before Ince’s candidacy was announced, Aksener was seen as the only opposition candidate to beat Erdogan but, these expectations faded away as Ince’s impact was observed through popular support and by Erdogan himself.
Aksener served as interior minister in 1990s when the Turkish Army was in a heated conflict with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). In her era, a many Kurdish activists were put behind bars. She lost Kurdish support, but this year attempted to mend relations by calling for her Kurdish rival to be released from prison.
The opposition candidates have promised to prevent the parliamentary system from being shifted to a presidential one.
Parliamentary election still matters
The new system is a major issue for the parliamentary election because the Grand National Assembly will have few checks on the presidency. The referendum removed the position of premier, diminished parliament’s powers, and allowed the president to continue to head of their party.
However, even parties which have no realistic hope of sending someone to the Presidential Palace are fielding candidates to have a presence in the overall political scene, even the ruling AKP is seeking to become the first party to have an absolute majority in parliament and hold the presidency.
Meanwhile, four opposition parties also have formed the Millet (Nation) Alliance. Their alliance is only for the parliamentary election, as each is running their own candidate for the presidency. As Erdogan is unlikely to secure an absolute majority in the first round, Millet is only expected to put forward one candidate in the run-off.
HDP was angered and felt marginalized not being included in the opposition alliance. Small parties like HDP fear if they cannot pass the 10-percent parliamentary seat threshold, nearly 80 seats will be added to the alliance which wins the majority, in this case they may go to People’s Alliance.
What is next?
A run-off is expected because the alliances have balanced support.
The president and parliament will have to join forces to fight increasing inflation and the lira’s fall against US dollar. These two economical and financial are a barrier for the country’s plans to bolster its economy to better compete internationally.
Turkey’s involvement in the Syrian civil war and its support for opposition groups will need to be addressed by whoever wins. Additionally, Erdogan has intensified his fight against “terrorism” by actively targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Turkey and Iraq. NATO considers Turkey to be a strategic partner. Turkey conflating the People’s Protection Units (YPG) with the PKK has led to a diplomatic fallout between Ankara and Washington, which will need to be addressed in the next government, as well.
“They did not find anything. They thought and thought what to do. Now they insist on a snap election. Oh my God! The election time is already set,” Erdogan said adding that when they held early elections in June 2015, CHP was “embarrassed,” referring to the party’s loss of votes.
But on March 18, Erdogan called for presidential and parliamentary snap elections to be held on June 24, following a meeting with Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The elections were initially scheduled for November 2019.
Incumbent Erdogan wants to strengthen his mandate to address Turkey’s struggling economy, tackle domestic strife, and green light many of his controversial foreign policies including military intervention in Syria and Iraq.
These elections are seen as very significant and sensitive following Turkey’s 2018 offensive on the Kurdish city of Afrin in Syria which resulted in large displacement, sparking outrage among the Kurdish population in Turkey whom Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) heavily depends on in most elections, as evidenced in the constitutional referendum in 2017.
They also follow the current cabinet barely escaping the failed military coup of 2016. The subsequent imposition of a state of emergency — still in place during the elections — has concerned rights organizations. The government blames the Gulen Movement for the coup, but has used its powers to crackdown on any state dissent by Turks and Kurds.
The politicization of Turkey’s judiciary is also a concern, as the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) members have been repeatedly detained, arrested, and jailed for terror-related charges, including their former co-chair Selahattin Demirtas, Kurd, who is running for presidency from behind bars.
These elections are also first since the constitutional referendum narrowly passed by a 51-49 margin. The constitutional changes shifted governance from a parliamentary to presidential system. It will take effect immediately after the new president is sworn in.
The race for president
Six candidates are racing for the position of president but the election is widely seen as a two horse race between Erdogan and his nearest rival Muharrem Ince from Republican People's Party (HDP).
The two are seeking the votes of nationalist Turks and Kurdish minorities, especially the radical ones living in rural areas.
Erdogan who founded his AKP in 2001 has been serving as prime minister from 2003 to 2014. He has been the country’s president since then.
Known for his oratory, he has been able to secure a large number of votes from different components of the country.
He prefers to be portrayed as the protector of Muslims. He has shown support for Islamic schools, lifting the ban on headscarves, and promoting family values like asking women to have at least three children. He has been accused by his opponents for Islamizing the country which was hailed for the secular principles set by its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Ince, whose party was founded by Ataturk, has promised to put an end to his main rival’s dreams of creating a one-man rule. He has made it to the parliament as an MP for four times during Erdogan’s tenure as premier and president. His election campaign has been seen as the most proactive among other opposition parties who suffer from financial issues.
Failing twice in races against the incumbent party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu for the party's leadership, Ince hopes to be an alternative to Erdogan by trying to gain the hearts of all Turkish components, typically nationalists and Kurds. He was the first presidential candidate to call for release of Demirtas. He is expected to visit Kurdish city of Diyarbakir (Amed) on Monday to campaign and to visit Demirtas' wife Basak Demirtas.
Demirtas is the only Kurdish candidate running for the presidency. He is deprived of the right to campaign like other candidates. So far, he has only been permitted to convey messages through written interviews with local and international news outlets and through tweets through his lawyers. Turkey’s electoral body (YSK) has allowed for state-run TRT to film him for 20 minutes, but the filming is yet to happen.
Referred to as “Kurdish Nelson Mandela,” his perceived martyrdom could win him wider support among voters angered by attacks on civil liberties. If he implausibly won the election, he would immediately be released from prison.
Meral Aksener, referred to as the “she-wolf” of Turkey, left the MHP and founded IYI (Good) Party in October 2017 in protest of the policies of party’s leader Bahceli who supported the constitutional changes in the referendum.
She revels in the fact that if she wins she would be the country’s first woman president. Before Ince’s candidacy was announced, Aksener was seen as the only opposition candidate to beat Erdogan but, these expectations faded away as Ince’s impact was observed through popular support and by Erdogan himself.
Aksener served as interior minister in 1990s when the Turkish Army was in a heated conflict with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). In her era, a many Kurdish activists were put behind bars. She lost Kurdish support, but this year attempted to mend relations by calling for her Kurdish rival to be released from prison.
The opposition candidates have promised to prevent the parliamentary system from being shifted to a presidential one.
Parliamentary election still matters
The new system is a major issue for the parliamentary election because the Grand National Assembly will have few checks on the presidency. The referendum removed the position of premier, diminished parliament’s powers, and allowed the president to continue to head of their party.
However, even parties which have no realistic hope of sending someone to the Presidential Palace are fielding candidates to have a presence in the overall political scene, even the ruling AKP is seeking to become the first party to have an absolute majority in parliament and hold the presidency.
Eight political parties are racing for 600 seats in the parliament.
AKP and MHP have formed the Cumhur (People’s) Alliance, supported by the Great Unity Party (BBP) which has not been registered by the electoral body for these elections. Erdogan is the People's Alliance candidate for president.
Meanwhile, four opposition parties also have formed the Millet (Nation) Alliance. Their alliance is only for the parliamentary election, as each is running their own candidate for the presidency. As Erdogan is unlikely to secure an absolute majority in the first round, Millet is only expected to put forward one candidate in the run-off.
HDP was angered and felt marginalized not being included in the opposition alliance. Small parties like HDP fear if they cannot pass the 10-percent parliamentary seat threshold, nearly 80 seats will be added to the alliance which wins the majority, in this case they may go to People’s Alliance.
What is next?
A run-off is expected because the alliances have balanced support.
The president and parliament will have to join forces to fight increasing inflation and the lira’s fall against US dollar. These two economical and financial are a barrier for the country’s plans to bolster its economy to better compete internationally.
Turkey’s involvement in the Syrian civil war and its support for opposition groups will need to be addressed by whoever wins. Additionally, Erdogan has intensified his fight against “terrorism” by actively targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Turkey and Iraq. NATO considers Turkey to be a strategic partner. Turkey conflating the People’s Protection Units (YPG) with the PKK has led to a diplomatic fallout between Ankara and Washington, which will need to be addressed in the next government, as well.
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