Today, Saturday, Turkish political alliances continue their popular gatherings in various states in preparation for the parliamentary and presidential elections that will be held tomorrow, Sunday, just hours before entering the electoral silence period in which electoral propaganda is prohibited this evening.
The Turkish President and the candidate of the Public Alliance, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had called during an election rally on Friday in Istanbul for wide participation in the elections, while the candidate of the Nation Alliance and the leader of the Republican People’s Party, Kamal Kilicdaroglu – during a gathering in the city of Samsun – confirmed his economic promises to support farmers and what he called productive economy.
The head of the Good Party, Meral Aksener, and the mayor of Ankara, Mansur Yavas, participated in an election event organized by the People’s Alliance in Yozgat.
The White House praised what it described as “the traditions and institutions of democratic Turkey” with regard to the presidential and parliamentary elections, and the Strategic Communications Coordinator of the National Security Council at the White House, John Kirby, said – during a press conference – that Turkey has democratic traditions and institutions.
He added, “The White House generally refrains from commenting on the elections or any candidate in them,” stressing that “the Turkish people are the decision-makers.”
Erdogan warns
Erdogan warned his supporters – during a rally in Istanbul on Friday – that they might pay a “heavy price” if his secular rival came to power.
“Don’t forget, you may pay a heavy price if we lose,” he said, addressing his supporters who waved Turkish flags.
He also considered that Western governments use the opposition to impose their vision on Turkish society, sending a message to the West by saying, “O West, my nation is the one who decides.”
accusations against Russia
Erdogan also criticized opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu’s accusations regarding Russia’s interference in the Turkish elections, noting that the latter began harassing Russia this time by accusing it of directing the elections.
He stressed that he could not accept Kilicdaroglu’s attack on Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, saying, “You (Kilijdaroglu) attacked Putin, but your excuse, I cannot accept that, because Turkey has relations with Russia that are no less than the level of its relations with the United States.”
He explained that the volume of Turkish foreign trade with Russia is higher than the volume of trade with the United States.
He pointed out that Kilicdaroglu repeated what US President Joe Biden said before he reached the White House chair, that “Erdogan must be defeated.”
He added, “But you (Kilijdaroglu) are helpless and pathetic, because when Biden said that, did I ask him why he said that article? No, I did not … while I knew Biden long before you, and we had family meetings.”
On Thursday, Kılıçdaroğlu accused Russia of being behind the video content he says “discredits the presidential candidates,” and wrote on Twitter, “Dear Russian friends, you are behind montages, conspiracies, fake content, and tapes that were revealed in this country (Turkey) yesterday.”
“If you want our friendship to continue after May 15, take your hands off the Turkish state, we still support cooperation and friendship,” he added.
Video clip
At a rally attended by hundreds of thousands, Erdogan asked those present to watch a “very important” video clip on one of the screens, in which Kilicdaroglu appeared smiling as he appealed to voters, saying, “Come on, go together to the ballot box.”
Then the clip shows clips of the prominent leader of the PKK, Murad Karelian, apparently saying “Come on” and a group of gunmen were standing next to him applauding, and in the background a song for Kilicdaroglu’s campaign sounds, then Kilicdaroglu’s image appears in the clip again.
Erdogan asked in strong language while showing the clip, “Will the patriotic citizens of this country vote for them?”
Erdogan commented again on this clip in a meeting he held with a group of students, and it was broadcast by Turkish channels the day before yesterday, Thursday. Erdogan said in this meeting, “Kilijdaroglu is supported by the leader of the terrorist group. He says (come on) and the other says (come on).”
In response to a question about this passage and Erdogan’s use of it in his election campaign, officials in the Turkish presidency refused to comment, while Kilicdaroglu said – in an interview with Reuters on Friday – “What saddens me deeply is that this is the language used by the president himself,” describing The section is a lie.
