The entire world is closely watching the 2023 Turkish elections, which will affect regional and global diplomacy. The Western press sees the elections to be held in a few months as among the events that will shape the world. Major news agencies, especially the United Kingdom-based Reuters, are looking for journalists who can follow developments well and make an in-depth analysis to understand the process in Türkiye.
Meanwhile, some operational publications such as Foreign Policy, an American news publication, have already started publishing to provoke the pre-election atmosphere in the country. Does this statement sound harsh to you?
Then let’s take a look at these lines from Foreign Policy assistant editor Allison Meakem: "(President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan’s political legacy would have been different if he stayed less committed to holding power and resigned willingly earlier, rather than waiting to be fired in an environment that promises to lead to an electoral bloodbath."
What does this mean now? Is Türkiye a third-world country or a "banana republic"?
Türkiye has been a democratic country that has determined its governments through free and general elections since 1950 when it became a multiparty system. Every stage and results of the elections, in which international organizations are observers, are open to judicial review.
President Erdoğan was elected in the 2018 elections with 52.6% of the votes in the first round. Muharrem Ince, who competed against Erdoğan as the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) presidential candidate in the election and received 30% of the vote, also confirmed the legitimacy of the results by saying, "The man won." There is not even a discussion about it. So, on what basis can Meakem say that the ideal is Erdoğan's resignation of his own accord?
She claims to have “insider” information. However, such an agenda is not even in question in Türkiye.
Opposition parties forming a bloc against Erdoğan, which is known as the “table for six,” do not have any demand for the president to step down before his term expires. In fact, these days they are busy declaring that they will oppose the possibility of Erdoğan pushing the elections up a few months. Because all the polls show Erdoğan has doubled his closest possible rival, and the opposition has yet to come to a consensus on a joint candidate. In addition, how can Foreign Policy so easily publish a proposition as “an analysis” that needs evidence such as “Erdoğan has created an environment that promises to turn into a bloodbath before the elections by not willingly resigning."
What is the explanation for trying to damage the peace and national security of a huge country with 84 million people going to the elections with speculations?
Is its journalism that cheap?
Yes, we know the answers since we know them very well from their published content that we have witnessed for years. They are orchestrating a character assassination once again ahead of another election. They threaten Erdoğan and us: Turkish voters.
However, this time, the insidious social engineering they have undressed will explode in their hands. Because similar threats benefited Erdoğan before every election. And in this election, he will be elected once again "despite the West."
The dominant global circles served by Foreign Policy will also tuck their tails between their legs and seek ways to cooperate with Erdoğan in his second and final term.
