"Nationalism" dominates the election debate in Türkiye ahead of the May 28 runoff between incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
None of the candidates are firmly footed in left-wing or right-wing policies but the rising vote of "nationalist" parties in the first round is a sign of a "patriotic" groundswell.
Speaking in a televised interview on Monday evening, Erdoğan said the People's Alliance, led by his Justice and Development Party (AK Party), is the place where true nationalists should be as he thanked former rival Sinan Oğan endorsed him for May 28 runoff against Kılıçdaroğlu.
He also stated that "the West," disturbed by Türkiye's achievement under his presidency, will "get the answer of our nation on May 28."
Nationalist policies find new meaning in changing Türkiye, which was traditionally governed by right-wing governments or at least, governments portraying themselves as such.
Though both Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu adhere to this new sense of the word long associated with People's Alliance member Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Erdoğan boasts concrete policies to achieve it under the motto of "local and national" products in the defense industry and other fields and escalated counterterrorism operations against the separatist terrorist group PKK.
His rival, the chair of the Republican People's Party (CHP), garners support from six parties, as well as the terrorist groups PKK and Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
Erdoğan thanked self-styled nationalist Sinan Oğan for his endorsement but he rejected claims of bargaining to secure his support. "We had talks with (Mr). Oğan here in my office and today he announced he would support me and the People's Alliance. I thank him on behalf of myself and my party," the president told a live broadcast on TRT Haber.
He continued by saying that they did not have any discussions about reaching a bargain. "(Mr). Oğan knows our stance regarding the survival of the country, including the counterterrorism fight, and relations with the Turkic world. We will not make the smallest concessions regarding these issues, and will never do," he said.
Kılıçdaroğlu, who lost to Erdoğan in a tight race on May 14, adapted nationalist rhetoric he long shunned during his election campaign after the first round. But his was more far-right than nationalist. In his first public address after the election loss, Kılıçdaroğlu reiterated his pledge to "send away refugees" in Türkiye as soon as possible and denounced "the terrorist groups," blaming the government for negotiating with them.
His speech was rather harsh compared to the more liberal-leaning, all-embracing remarks he voiced throughout his campaign. "This new approach of (Mr.) Kemal will not find support because people already decided on who they would support. Nationalist people know the true character of Kılıçdaroğlu. He won't change," Erdoğan said in the interview.
"Our nation taught a lesson to those walking together with the affiliates of the terrorist groups in the first round of the elections," Erdoğan said, referring to the endorsement Kılıçdaroğlu received from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which faces a lawsuit for its ties to PKK.
"Kılıçdaroğlu is someone (supported) by Qandil, someone advocating the release of Selahattin Demirtaş," Erdoğan said, referring respectively to the PKK stronghold in Northern Iraq and jailed co-chair of the HDP. Erdoğan said Kılıçdaroğlu was a person who "would exploit any issue for his interest."
"The address of the nationalists is clear and it is the People's Alliance. We have a local, national stance and this will empower us toward the runoff," Erdoğan said.
The president also criticized Western media outlets that have recently tried to influence public opinion with headlines on elections in Türkiye.
"We have achieved most of our democratic gains in Türkiye by fighting with the headlines," the Turkish leader said, in reference to Turkish media's hostility against him while he was mayor of Istanbul in the late 1990s.
He added the West does not like Türkiye because it has rooted out terrorism. "In the fight against terrorism, we have always been left alone. We pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps."
The West also is disturbed by Türkiye's improvement in the defense industry, Erdoğan said. "Do they like Türkiye which is getting stronger in the defense industry? Of course, they don't like us. They won't like us because we don't buy weapons or ammunition from them anymore ... My nation gave this answer to them on May 14. I hope that on May 28th, they will do it again," he said. "Have you heard discomfort from Azerbaijan, Qatar and Libya because of our efforts? No. When we look at those who are disturbed by our success, we can see more clearly who is a friend and who is foe," Erdoğan added.
The president assured that Türkiye's borders are equipped with the most recent technologies for safety. "Türkiye's borders are safer than ever before," he said. Over 3.7 million Syrians currently reside in Türkiye, making it the world's top refugee-hosting country. Following the start of a bloody civil war in Syria in 2011, Türkiye adopted an "open-door" policy for Syrians fleeing persecution and brutality.
Syria has been embroiled in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and over 10 million others displaced, according to U.N. estimates.
