Turkey: Election campaign with hostility towards refugees

2023-05-27 22:37:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Just before the runoff round in Turkey, the tone is becoming more aggressive. While the government camp seems to be doing everything they can to smear the opposition and portray their presidential candidates as traitors to the country, candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu has launched a counterattack.

"Erdogan, you are the one who negotiated with the terrorists behind closed doors," he declared recently at a rally. "Who are you and where do you get the right to question my patriotism?"

Kilicdaroglu is trying to score points not only with patriotism, but also with hostility towards refugees. His goal is to win the votes of a large group of nationalist voters who are critical of the government.

Kilicdaroglu: With patriotism and hostility towards refugees

For this purpose, Kilicdaroglu is directly attacking his competitor: Erdogan has brought ten million refugees to the country, he claims. If he stays in power, ten million more will come to the country and Turkey's cities will be taken over by refugees, mobsters and drug lords.

Kilicdaroglu has repeatedly stated that if he comes to power, he intends to return all refugees to their countries of origin. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), about four million refugees live in Turkey.

Manipulated electoral plates

Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are using fake news against opposition candidates. Numerous manipulated posters for the opposition party CHP (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi), the largest opposition party in Turkey, are circulating on the Internet. These are distributed by members and supporters of the ruling AKP party.

Even before the first round on May 14, there was fake news about the Turkish opposition, but according to observers before the second round, the fakes have become more extensive and systematic.

Relatively calm Erdogan

While the opposition is increasing its aggressive and radical tones, Erdogan is full of confidence. "My dear comrades and friends", the 69-year-old wrote on Twitter, "we have before us the most critical elections in our history. [...] I have faith in you".

Për herë të parë në më shumë se 20 vjet opozita shpresonte t'i jepte fund sistemit Erdogan në zgjedhjet e 14 majit. Shumica e sondazheve parashikonte që zgjedhjet do t'i fitonte Kiliçdaroglu, prandaj zhgënjimi tek mbështetësit e opozitës është edhe më i madh.

Në raundin e parë të zgjedhjeve presidenciale, asnjë nga kandidatët nuk arriti shumicën absolute. Kandidati i opozitës Kiliçdaroglu fitoi thuajse 45 për qind të votave, kurse aleanca e tij "Aleanca e Kombit" 35 për qind për. Ajo tani ka 213 vende në Parlament. Si Kiliçdaroglu dhe "Aleanca e Kombit" morën shumë më pak vota nga sa parashikonin.

And the current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, only failed to get an absolute majority with 49.5 percent. However, his electoral alliance secured with 322 out of 600 seats in the Parliament, a parliamentary majority for another five years. Therefore, Erdogan is going to the runoff with a strong support behind him./DW