Possible slug- Heaad line: 2nd Round of Presidential Eelcetion in Turkey to be held on May 28
OR: Turkey Presidential Election goes to Run-off: Election Council
As a result of the elections held on May 14, 2023, the presidential elections were left to the second round, while the parliamentary arithmetic was formed in favour of the People’s Alliance. The HDP, which entered the elections with a change of name, could not become the “key” party of the Parliament, even though it led by significant margins in some provinces.
In the 2011 General Elections, similar to the cassette tape conspiracies, which were later found out to have been made by the terrorist organisation FETÖ and became a black stain on the history of Turkish democracy, were played on Presidential candidate Muharrem İnce three days before the elections.
Ince, who withdrew from the election after being lynched on social media, denied the allegations that he had “received 10 million TL from people close to Erdoğan” and reproached his “old friends” from CHP. Meanwhile, Turkish democracy was also damaged by social media’s “throw mud, leave a trace!” lies.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s claim that Russia interfered in the elections was a mistake that was the simplest indication of a lack of foresight that could limit his foreign policy in the future.
In democracies, governments that come to power through the ballot box wear out over time and leave again through the ballot box.
After more than 20 years in power, the AK Party and its leader R. Tayyip Erdoğan were thought to have worn out and those who said “it is time!” made an intense effort. Many polling companies and some Western media also participated in this endeavour.
The most prominent were the British press organs such as Foreign Policy and The Economist, known as anti-Erdoğan, and the German magazine Der Spiegel. The German magazine, which was also supported by those wanted for terrorism with its articles, was so low level that it offended not only Erdoğan but also the Turkish nation.
Facts Carrying the People’s Alliance to Parliament
Turkish voters showed the greatness of their common sense by realising the elections without any incidents and with a high participation rate that has not been experienced in Europe for years. While they sent the People’s Alliance to the Parliament with a significant majority, they were hesitant in the presidential election. In fact, given the numerous developments in Turkey under Erdoğan’s leadership, some of which are described below and which were once unimaginable, Erdoğan’s election was expected:
In the field of transport, where an important threshold has been crossed, the possibility of air transport to almost every part of the country stands out. Highways have been covered with double roads and motorways and high-speed trains between very important centres have added quality to transportation.
Although criticised the grounds that they increase travel costs, a new era in transportation has been ushered in with the construction of long bridges across the straits/gulfs, Ilgaz and Zigana Tunnels, Black Sea motorway projects and highways to almost every village (neighbourhood) in metropolitan municipalities.
The Turkish Defence Industry, which was the darling of the previous governments, has continued to be taken from where it was left and raised even higher.
While Turkey was once 80 per cent dependent on Western countries’ war weapons and equipment, today it has risen to 12th place in global arms sales.
While Turkish UAVs/SUAVs have become Turkey’s soft power, the Turkish defence industry, supported by missiles, artillery and howitzers such as the TCG Anadolu, MİLGEM, Tayfun, etc. has become the envy of even Western countries. MIT has become another institution that has come of age.
Natural gas pipeline projects, transition to nuclear energy, natural gas/oil exploration on land and in maritime jurisdictions, the discovery of a satisfactory amount of natural gas in the Black Sea, the construction of natural gas storages and finally the discovery of a considerable amount of oil in Gabar cannot be forgotten.
The opening to Asia, the opening to Africa, the Organisation of Turkish States, efforts to promote the TRNC, the breakthrough in exports, the Turkish automobile (TOGG) the export of white goods by Turkish companies even to Western developed countries and unimaginable figures and facilities in tourism have been reached.
The health sector has moved up a notch, as was better highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic; the salaries of health personnel who went abroad due to low salaries despite the difficult working conditions have been raised and their problems have been eliminated to a great extent; and Turkey has started to transform into an important health tourism centre in the region.
In foreign policy, a course in line with national interests, rather than “as the US or the West wants” has begun to be followed, and in the fight against terrorism, these “allies” have begun to be disobeyed at the expense of their support for terrorism instead of their help.
With its neutral and mediating role in the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia has risen above an ordinary regional power and proved to be a dominant regional power in the Balkans, the Caucasus, various parts of Africa and the Middle East close to its own geography.
Voter Messages
The electorate, which backed the People’s Alliance in the Parliamentary arithmetic, gives a message by carrying the Presidential election on a knife edge. The voters who backed the People’s Alliance in the parliamentary arithmetic, while carrying the presidential election on a knife edge, also send a message by reducing the CHP’s seats in the parliament due to the “table candidates.”Likewise, with the votes for the third-ranked presidential candidate, the nationalist segment in the People’s Alliance seems to have punished the HUDA-PAR partnership and the “nationalist” segment close to the Millet Alliance seems to have punished the HDP with reaction votes due to its closeness to the HDP.
In other words, it is seen that among the voters of both parties, there may be those who cannot digest the alliance with political parties they find “marginal”. Of course, the results of this will be better seen if there is a second round.
On the other hand, given the efforts listed under the previous heading, Erdoğan, who should have won the presidential election “in his head” was given a message by the electorate: “Don’t forget me!”. The content of the message is summarised as follows: “In this state of the economy, the middle pole is wailing!
The salaries of employees and pensioners are giving S.O.S.! In Turkey, which is an agricultural country, the purchasing power, especially meat and dairy products, has fallen, while life has become even more difficult for the middle and narrow income earners! etc.” In other words, the electorate, on the one hand, is looking out for Turkey’s security and on the other hand, it is saying “Don’t make me a prisoner!” and “Let the nation live so that the state can live!”.
Projects to Attract Voters
One of the issues that the People’s Alliance should pay special attention to from now on is saving, which has almost been forgotten. Looking at the frightening figures in the import of luxury consumer goods in recent months, it is not possible to realise savings and investment with the mind-boggling consumption frenzy that new generations have been accustomed to.
In the new era where technology is developing at a dizzying pace and artificial intelligence will melt many existing professions, generations that will invest in the future instead of prodigals are needed.
It is expected that similar “disasters of the century” centred in Kahramanmaraş will be experienced in other parts of the country, especially in Istanbul, in the near future. It is of vital importance to accelerate urban transformations against such demoralising disasters that erode national wealth.
While accelerating technological developments, an exit similar to the TOGG project for chip production, for which the USA, China and EU countries allocate large resources will be useful in balancing the foreign trade deficit.
The very successful and “epoch-making” projects under Erdoğan’s leadership summarised above are undoubtedly very important. However, the government should be more sensitive to “corruption allegations”, pay attention to merit instead of personal loyalty in state positions, go for a system that will strengthen the middle class instead of a system that will make “the rich richer”, direct children from an early age to philosophy such as “Hide the straw and the time will come!” and “A drop of water becomes a lake!” remove them from the idea of wasteful consumption such as “Debt is the whip of the valiant!” and prevent the reign from the state purse.
By acting according to the realities of the science of “economy”, inflationary policies that cause the moral collapse of the people should be avoided.
Although foreign policy preferences are not regarded as a valid option in elections, the future of Syria should be placed in a special place. The relief of the burden of refugees and the elimination of the terrorist threat in this country are also under close scrutiny of the voters.
May 28 On the Way to the 2nd Round of Presidential Elections
The second round of the presidential election to be held on May 28, 2023, will not be an ordinary election but an election in which the future of Turkey will be voted.
If Kılıçdaroğlu, the candidate of the People’s Alliance, wins, the possible disagreement between the executive and the legislative body (TBMM), where the People’s Alliance is in the majority, may drag the country into new turmoil.
More importantly, Turkey under Erdogan’s leadership has begun to resist the US imposition of “I am strong, therefore I am right!” for its own interests, even on issues that threaten the security of its allies. If Erdoğan is elected president, the hegemony of the US and the EU countries following him over Turkey will be considerably reduced.
Turkey needs this freedom to stand on its own feet with its own economy and national power elements without the need for pressure from another country. Although half of the people are far from the People’s Alliance due to economic problems, the other half will vote for the future of Turkey despite these problems.
