Reuters: Erdogan and AKP election date options and election slogan revealed

While comments that the elections would be postponed after the earthquake disaster centered on Kahramanmaraş, which directly affected 13 million people, in which at least 42,000 people lost their lives, caused anger in opposition circles last week, the tendency of the AKP side to continue the current electoral plan has been strengthening in recent days.

After the great disaster in the region, where approximately 13 million people live, criticism of the government increased, both from the inhabitants of the region and from the entire country, regarding the lack of preparation of state institutions or the insufficiency of work rescue, while the 2023 elections and their effect on the government parties gained importance after the earthquake.

President Erdoğan had visited Antakya with MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli the day before and met with the Mexican search and rescue team.

After comments that the disaster could weaken government support, AKP officials also expressed that the elections could be postponed. However, it is claimed that the AKP has once again turned the needle in the direction of protecting the date of the current elections.

“POSTPLAY GOES AWAY”

A senior government official, who said: “The issue of postponement and postponement to November has already been shelved,” said that in the negotiations the opinion that the elections must be held on time, that is, on June 18, gained weight.

The same official said: “After all, how much difference does a month make? If there is going to be a delay, it takes a 1 year delay to actually work. The public doesn’t like it at all,” he said.

“The postponement of the elections has been shelved,” an official told the Reuters news agency.

AKP officials had previously argued to Reuters that there should be a delay and that November was reasonable.

At the same time as questions were raised about how the government will perform in the upcoming elections, one of the founders of the AKP, Bülent Arınç, in his Twitter post on February 13, said: “The elections must be postponed immediately so that the state the bureaucracy can focus on being a balm for the wounds of our citizens”, and the opposition reacted to this.

CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu also responded to the agenda of postponing the election by saying that “elections cannot be postponed as there is no war.”

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu conducted investigations in the earthquake area.

Article 78 of the Constitution contains the following statement that allows the postponement of elections:

“If it is not possible to hold new elections due to the war, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey may decide to postpone the elections for one year. If the reason for the postponement has not disappeared, this process can be repeated according to the procedure in the decision to postpone.

“JUNE 18 FEATURED”

Another government official stated that Erdogan and MHP Chairman Devlet Bahceli will meet for the elections, saying there are some contacts between the two parties and the final decision will be made by the leaders.

The same official, who said: “He focused on alternatives for the election, such as postponing May 14, the previously announced normal date, to June 18 and November,” said the same official, continuing: “However, in this period, the approach of holding the elections on June 18 has come to the fore… Most likely. It is highly probable that an agreement will be reached on the June 18 elections.”

Reminding that the elections to be held on June 18 coincide with the summer period, there are some disadvantages, the official also said: “Processes such as preparing the YSK, creating the physical conditions for the elections especially in the provinces affected by the earthquake or the vote in the provinces where these voters pass, must be trained”, and explained the drawbacks of the postponement as follows: He explained: “The perception that the government is escaping from the elections, the negative approach of the opposition, the situation of the deputies, the candidacy of the president and the legal basis derived from the constitution also overshadow the postponement”.

A senior AKP official said: “The opinion that the elections should be held on time instead of postponing the date of the elections has come to the fore” and stressed that the issue of postponement had received a great public reaction and that the issue had been raised. to the point of damaging democracy.

“Currently, the opinion of holding the elections on June 18 has gained weight. Detailed evaluations were made on this topic. Construction work for those affected by the earthquake is also beginning. There is no time to waste,” he said.

Iyi Party leader Akşener said they were trying to turn the victimization caused by the earthquake into a “construction show”.

NEW MOTTO: “WE BUILD TURKEY TOGETHER”

Recalling that the foundations of the houses of those affected by the earthquake are scheduled to be laid in early March, the second government official said: “The losses are very great, but until then, at least physically, the traces of the earthquake they will be erased and the buildings will begin to rise, where people will see that they can sit. He said the slogan “We are building Turkey together” will replace the previously determined slogan “Enough is the word of the nation” and said he sees the probability of the People’s Alliance winning as high.

The Kahramanmaraş earthquake, which caused the greatest destruction in Turkey’s history, raised questions about the stock of safe buildings in the country and what has been done to transform buildings after the great Gölcük earthquake in 1999, which was considered a milestone for earthquakes. preparation.

Therefore, in the coming period, the plans and projects of the parties will be important not only for the constructions that will adhere after the post-earthquake destruction, but also for the structures in the seismic risk zones.

There is no regularly published data on the number of buildings in Turkey that violate zoning regulations. While the authorities sometimes included these figures in their statements, lastly, the former Minister of Environment and Urbanization, Mehmet Özhaseki, said in May 2018, referring to all of Turkey: “I guess the number of buildings that violate zoning It’s over 50% right now.”

AKŞENER: HE IS TRYING TO TURN IT INTO A CONSTRUCTION SHOW

Interpreting the government’s focus on post-earthquake rebuilding buildings as a “show” In her speech at today’s parliamentary group meeting, Iyi party chairwoman Meral Akşener said: He claimed they were trying to turn earthquake victimization into “a construction show”.

Akşener said: “We are aware of those who try to make an electoral promise of the disaster as if they were not responsible for this great disaster.” (Reuters)