The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is entering next month's knife-edge vote with 65% renewal in its cadres and pledges for continued reforms, the party’s Group Deputy Chairperson Bülent Turan said, underlining that the AK Party has the support of the people.

Speaking to Daily Sabah, Turan said: "This beloved nation has wisdom and understanding. It knows who has served them for 20 years and who has engaged in polemics. Everyone appreciates the People’s Alliance’s harmony against the disputes, crises and bargaining of the 'table of seven.'"

Turan indicated that polls showed the AK Party will gather at least 40% of the votes, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to receive more than 50%.

"This people, this beloved nation will give President Erdoğan the highest vote in his political career yet," he said.

"The AK Party is entering the May 14 elections with a significant revision," Turan said, elaborating that 65 deputies, including himself, were not included in the recently announced lists of lawmaker candidates due to the rule of serving three terms.

"The three-term rule is a valuable point. I think it should be an example to all parties. We stand in front of our nation with 65% renewed lists and we want the seal for five more years," he said, adding that the first impression of the people toward the new lawmaker lists was positive.

"When working in the field, we see that the people are satisfied with the lists, and I hope our friends will not let this trust go in vain by working accordingly," Turan added.

The presidential and parliamentary votes are set for May 14, three months after powerful earthquakes struck Türkiye’s southeast, killing tens of thousands and leaving millions homeless. Recent polls predict a tight race between Erdoğan, who has been in power for two decades, and Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote in the first round of the presidential elections, there will be a run-off a fortnight later on May 28.

Around 60.9 million people are eligible to vote in Türkiye and a further 3.3 million abroad.

Erdoğan is the candidate of the AK Party-led People’s Alliance, which includes the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Great Unity Party (BBP) and the New Welfare Party (YRP), while the opposition bloc consists of parties wildly different in their political ideologies and small parties founded by former members of the AK Party.

Indecisive voters

Rivals in the elections are currently trying to woo indecisive voters as elections near. Turan explained that according to polls, the number of indecisive voters is around 4%-7%, which he described as lower than usual.

"Indecisive voters are present during every election period. As the election date approaches, these voters enter the elections having decided according to party programs and the performance of party leaders. We believe that our voters will easily decide with our party’s efforts and our president’s performance in rallies," Turan highlighted.

"What is more, our indecisive voters will make their choice for stability and trust in order not to lose the gains we made in 21 years. As you know, we departed on a new path with the 'Century of Türkiye' vision," Turan continued and recalled the successes of Türkiye in the international arena as well as the defense industry.

"We have announced our election manifesto. We presented our nation with a declaration in which all segments of society, from workers to farmers, from women to young people, from old people to students, can find themselves. Hopefully, in the upcoming period, we will continue our reforms from law to economy, health education, production to transportation, agriculture and many other fields."

‘Strong democracy’

"Türkiye is a country with a strong democratic tradition," Turan said, answering claims over concerns of election security in the country.

"Participation in elections is higher than in most European countries. Election turnout in Europe is struggling to exceed the average 65% level. Türkiye, where more than 80% of the voters go to the polls, stands out among the countries that reflect its democratic maturity to the ballot box with the wide participation of its people," Turan emphasized, reiterating that Türkiye’s turnout in the 2018 elections was 86.24%.

"Even though some circles engage in slander under the pretext of election security, there has been no problem in this regard in our country in recent years," he said. "In these elections, there are both election board officials of the state and representatives of parties. We will once again show the whole world an example of democracy with high participation."

HDP-opposition ties

Speaking on the ties between the opposition and the pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Turan said: "Even though the HDP does not voice it openly, everyone knows their candidate is Kılıçdaroğlu. After deciding not to announce a candidate of their own, they started to shout slogans for freedom for terrorist head (Abdullah) Öcalan as well as arrested HDP members in their rallies. On what basis do they say this? Have you heard any reaction from the 'table for six' to these words of the HDP? Does anyone say, ‘What's going on, how can you free a terrorist leader?'"

"The bargaining has already been made. On May 14, our nation will give the best answer to those who bargain with the integrity of the country for the sake of three or four votes," he said.

The HDP has given Kılıçdaroğlu its tacit support. Winning over 10% of the vote in the past three national elections, the HDP was widely seen as a kingmaker in the tight race.

The HDP is generally blamed for becoming the focal point of actions violating the Turkish state’s "unbreakable unity" and having an "active role in providing recruits to the PKK."

On top of much criticism by rivals and partners alike for his rapprochement with the HDP, Kılıçdaroğlu has since garnered the praise of so-called PKK seniors, Cemil Bayık, Murat Karayılan, Mustafa Karasu, Duran Kalkan, Bese Hozat, Helin Ümit, Sabri Ok and Remzi Kartal, as well.

Parties looking to expand their alliance, at least in an informal way, in the meantime, face criticism from their opponents. While the People’s Alliance criticizes partnership with the HDP, the Nation’s Alliance hit out at the AK Party for seeking the support of the Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR), which is traditionally backed by conservative citizens of Kurdish background and is accused of ties with Hezbollah.

"These criticisms consist of shallow discussions and cheap rhetoric. HÜDAPAR has said, ‘We have no ties to Hezbollah.’ There are Turkish flags in their rallies. Which rally of HDP has the Turkish flag?" Turan added.

"Moreover, HÜDAPAR is a party with a separate identity and statute, it has no signatures in our alliance protocol and is not our alliance partner. They will be entered in our lists like the DSP (Democratic Left Party). We made an alliance with Erdoğan, (MHP Chair Devlet) Bahçeli, (Great Union Party Chair Mustafa) Destici and (New Welfare Party leader Fatih) Erbakan. Making an alliance is one thing, being elected from the same list is another. Just like the fact that the chairperson of the TDP, (Mustafa) Sarıgül is a candidate in the lists of the CHP."

‘Economy to be strengthened’

As the cost-of-living crisis has gripped Turkish households and squeezed earnings and savings while inflation has been high, the AK Party is working to ease the economic problems of the people.

Turan cited the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and increasing energy prices as facts contributing to economic woes in Türkiye.

"Our state is supporting our citizens with its subsidies, incentives, salary increases, tax exemptions and reductions. Following the elections, we will continue our efforts to heal the wounds caused by the earthquakes we experienced and to reach our goals in the economy."

The government has recently rolled out a series of large infrastructure and defense projects ahead of the vote, including the inauguration of Türkiye's first nuclear power reactor, the first delivery of natural gas to an onshore plant from a reserve discovered in the Black Sea and its first national car Togg.

The AK Party’s election manifesto said it aimed for annual growth of 5.5% in 2024-2028 and a GDP of $1.5 trillion (TL 29.18 trillion) by the end of 2028. The party pledged to cut inflation to single digits and boost economic growth, increase income per capita to $16,000 and create 6 million new jobs in five years, decreasing the unemployment rate to 7% from the current 10%.

The AK Party’s economic policies have been centered on a model that was unveiled in 2021 and that prioritizes low-interest rates to boost exports, production and investment and creates new jobs. Dubbed the "Türkiye Economy Model," the program aims to lower inflation by flipping the country's chronic current account deficit to a surplus.

Refugees in Türkiye

Besides the economy, the issue of refugees in Türkiye has been on the agenda of voters of most political backgrounds. Increasing anti-refugee sentiment has led both the ruling party as well as the opposition to focus on policies to ease the problem.

Efforts with the United Nations to ensure the return of Syrians living in Türkiye are ongoing, Turan explained, saying that 551,000 Syrians returned safely and voluntarily so far.

On the other side, Turan also emphasized that the migration problem is a common issue in international society.

"We expect the whole world to take sincere steps. In our country, it is important to take joint steps as the opposition and the government, to use a common language for a solution, and to approach the issue with common sense," he concluded.