Undemocratic election campaigning in Turkey

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and the association of the Alevi youth in Germany (Bund der Alevitischen Jugendlichen in Deutschland, BDAJ) criticize that the upcoming elections in Turkey will not be fair – as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his AKP party have been undermining democratic structures in the country for years. “In order to mobilize his conservative voters, Erdoğan is increasingly relying on agitation against ethnic and religious minorities.” stated Tabea Giesecke, STP expert on ethnic, linguistic, and religious minorities, in Göttingen today. “The main goal of Erdoğan’s regime is to secure its power – and he has been setting the course for this for years: He ordered members of the opposition to be arrested, and has filled courts and authorities with members of his party. Thus, it is more than questionable whether the upcoming elections will meet democratic standards.”

During the past weeks, hundreds of members of critical organizations, artists, media workers, and members of the opposition were arrested – based on charges of contacts with “terror organizations“. “This method goes hand in hand with the attempt to ban the second largest opposition party, the HDP, and with ordering loyal courts to issue political bans,” added Helin Tufan, Federal Chairwoman of the BDAJ. The pro-Kurdish HDP might even be banned completely before the presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14. Thus, the party will run in the elections via the list of the Green and Left Party (Yeşiller ve Sol Gelecek Partisi). 

Ever since the coup attempt in 2016, the Turkish President has been carrying out a political purge in the ministries and the military. “Even today, there are raids and apartment searches to intimidate and bring civil servants into line. Anyone who dares to dissent will be arrested, and the vacant positions are filled with loyal people,” Giesecke reported. “Meanwhile, the regime has gained far-reaching control over the authorities and courts. If the election results were to be questioned, the AKP would be in an unbeatable position.”

The ongoing persecution of members of the opposition, of ethnic and religious minorities, and anyone who questions the power of the Turkish President and the AKP shows how far Erdoğan is willing to go. “We are demanding democracy in Turkey – and the abolishment of the presidential system,” Tufan stated. The STP and the BDAJ are also calling on German politicians to adopt a more critical stance towards the Turkish government and to condemn any machinations that are to be seen as violations of international law.