2018 Turkish general election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox election
| country = Turkey
| flag_year = state
| opinion_polls =
| election_date = 24 June 2018
| module = {{Infobox election
| election_name = Presidential election
| embed = yes
| type = presidential
| previous_election = 2014 Turkish presidential election
| previous_year = 2014
| next_election = 2023 Turkish presidential election
| next_year = 2023
| image1 = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 2018 (cropped).jpg
| nominee1 = {{nowrap|Recep Tayyip Erdoğan}}
| party1 = Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
| alliance1 = People
| popular_vote1 = 26,330,823
| percentage1 = 52.59%
| image2 = Muharrem İnce (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Muharrem İnce
| party2 = Republican People's Party
| alliance2 = Nation
| popular_vote2 = 15,340,321
| percentage2 = 30.64%
| image4 = Selahattin Demirtaş 2018 (cropped).jpg
| nominee4 = Selahattin Demirtaş
| party4 = Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkey)
| alliance4 = HDK
| popular_vote4 = 4,205,794
| percentage4 = 8.40%
| image5 = Meral Akşener İYİ Party 1 (cropped).jpg
| nominee5 = Meral Akşener
| party5 = Good Party
| alliance5 = Nation
| popular_vote5 = 3,649,030
| percentage5 = 7.29%
| map_image = 2018 Turkish Presidential Election Map.svg
| title = President
| before_election = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
| before_party = Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
| after_election = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
| after_party = Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
| module = {{Infobox legislative election
| embed=yes
| election_name = Parliamentary election
| previous_election = November 2015
| next_election = 2023
| party1 = Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
| leader1 = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
| percentage1 = 42.56
| seats1 = 295
| last_election1 = 317
| party2 = Republican People's Party
| leader2 = Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
| percentage2 = 22.65
| seats2 = 146
| last_election2 = 134
| party3 = Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkey)
| leader3 = Pervin Buldan
| percentage3 = 10.76
| seats3 = 67
| last_election3 = 59
| party4 = Nationalist Movement Party
| leader4 = Devlet Bahçeli
| percentage4 = 11.10
| seats4 = 49
| last_election4 = 40
| party5 = Good Party
| leader5 = Meral Akşener
| percentage5 = 9.96
| seats5 = 43
| last_election5 = 0
| map = {{Switcher
| 350px
| Seats won by constituency
| 350px
| Results by electoral district (top) and provincial district (bottom)
}}}}}}}}{{Politics of Turkey}}
General elections were held in Turkey on 24 June 2018. Presidential elections were held to elect the President of Turkey using a two-round system. Parliamentary elections took place to elect 600 Members of Parliament to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
The elections had originally been scheduled for 3 November 2019, until the Erdoğan government called for early elections on 18 April 2018.
Background
=2017 constitutional referendum=
{{main|2017 Turkish constitutional referendum}}
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Erdoğan had long supported a policy of turning Turkey into an executive presidency, replacing the existing parliamentary system of government.{{cite web|url=https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/akp-den-baskanlik-aciklamasi-nisan-ayinda-referanduma-gidilebilir-132029.html|title=AKP'den başkanlık açıklaması: Nisan ayında referanduma|website=www.birgun.net}} With the support of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the government was able to enact a referendum in Parliament, with the vote being set for 16 April 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.posta.com.tr/ysk-baskani-acikladi-referandum-16-nisanda-haberi-1267152|title=YSK Başkanı açıkladı: Referandum 16 Nisanda}}
The proposed constitutional changes would see parliamentary and presidential elections taking place on the same day every five years, with the initial vote being set for 3 November 2019. The number of seats in the Grand National Assembly was to be increased from 550 to 600, although the legislative powers of Parliament would be greatly reduced. Crucially, the office of the President of Turkey would be given powers to rule by decree, becoming both the country's head of state and head of government.{{cite web|url=http://anayasadegisikligi.barobirlik.org.tr/Anayasa_Degisikligi.aspx|title=Anayasa Değişikliği Teklifi'nin Karşılaştırmalı ve Açıklamalı Metni|website=TÜRKİYE BAROLAR BİRLİĞİ - ANAYASA DEĞİŞİKLİĞİ TEKLİFİ'NİN KARŞILAŞTIRMALI VE AÇIKLAMALI METNİ}} Supporters of the changes claimed that the new system would make the system of government more efficient, while critics claimed that it would place too much power in the hands of the president and effectively render parliament powerless.{{cite web|url=http://www.yenihaberden.com/buyuk-ve-guclu-turkiyeye-evet-267945h.htm|title=Büyük ve güçlü Türkiye’ye "evet’}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chp.org.tr/Haberler/53/chp-10-maddede-anlatti-neden-hayir-53136.aspx|title=CHP 10 MADDEDE ANLATTI: NEDEN HAYIR?|access-date=2018-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312083832/https://www.chp.org.tr/Haberler/53/chp-10-maddede-anlatti-neden-hayir-53136.aspx|archive-date=2017-03-12|url-status=dead}}
The constitutional changes were approved by a 51-49% margin, according to official results. However, a last-minute change in the election rules by the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) during the vote allowed unverified ballots to be accommodated into the count, which the opposition alleges added 1.5 million extra ballot papers.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/16/erdogan-claims-victory-turkish-referendum-result-swiftly-challenged/|title=Erdogan claims victory in Turkish referendum but result swiftly challenged by opposition|first1=Raf|last1=Sanchez|first2=Burhan|last2=Yüksekkaş|date=16 April 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}} The political opposition decried the move to be illegal and were backed by several overseas observer organisations, which claimed that the vote did not meet international standards.{{cite web|url=https://www.habererk.com/dunya/akpm-referandum-raporunu-acikladi-ysk-karari-yasaya-aykiri-h32325.html|title=AKPM referandum raporunu açıkladı 'YSK kararı yasaya aykırı'}} However, subsequent legal challenges were all unsuccessful. Thus, the government began enacting 'compliance laws' to prepare for the new executive presidential system of government, which would be fully implemented following the general election scheduled for 3 November 2019.{{cite web|url=https://bianet.org/bianet/bianet/12846-uyum-yasalari-neler-getiriyor|title=Uyum Yasaları Neler Getiriyor?}}
=Early election=
Despite over two years to go before the next presidential and parliamentary elections, many observers alleged that the government was preparing for an early vote soon after the 2017 referendum.{{cite web|url=http://www.posta.com.tr/ankara-da-erken-secim-iddialari-haberi-1364092|title=Ankara'da erken seçim iddiaları...}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-42511041|title=2018'de Türkiye: Erken seçim mi, seçime hazırlık yılı mı?|first=Ayşe|last=Sayın|date=19 April 2018|via=BBC.com}} This was, observers claimed, to speed up the implementation of the executive presidential system and also to prevent the popularity of new opposition movements from reducing support for the government.{{cite web|url=http://www.mynet.com/haber/guncel/kulislerde-dolasan-erken-secim-ve-afrin-iddiasi-ankara-yi-hareketlendirdi-3818652-1|title=Kulislerde dolaşan erken seçim ve Afrin iddiası Ankara'yı hareketlendirdi|work=Mynet}} In October 2017, opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu called for early elections, although there was no official response to this.{{cite web|url=http://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/kilicdaroglu-erken-secim-dedi-175644h.htm|title=Kılıçdaroğlu erken seçim dedi}} Meral Akşener, the leader of the newly formed Good Party, alleged that the government were planning an early vote for Sunday 15 July 2018, the second anniversary of the failed 2016 coup d'état attempt.{{cite web|url=https://www.haberler.com/aksener-kim-bana-hakaret-ediyorsa-o-feto-cudur-10201995-haberi/|title=Meral Akşener'den Erken Seçim Tarihi: 15 Temmuz 2018}} The party held its first ordinary congress on 10 December 2017 and first extraordinary congress on 1 April 2018 in order to be eligible to contest a possible snap election. Despite months of speculation, the government repeatedly claimed that it was in favour of holding elections when they were due, denying that an early vote would take place.{{cite web|url=http://www.diken.com.tr/hukumetten-en-net-erken-secim-yalanlamasi-erdogan-yok-diyor-o-kadar/|title=Hükümetten en net erken seçim yalanlaması: Erdoğan 'Yok' diyor, o kadar - Diken|date=6 March 2018}}
On 17 April 2018, Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, called for early elections for the 26th of August.{{cite web|url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2018/gundem/devlet-bahceli-neden-26-agustos-tarihini-secti-2355733/|title=Devlet Bahçeli neden 26 Ağustos tarihini seçti?|access-date=24 June 2018}} Bahçeli had previously announced that they would support a re-election bid of the incumbent president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.{{cite web|url=http://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/gundem/534712.aspx|title=Bahçeli: Erdoğan’ı destekliyoruz|access-date=24 June 2018}} The Justice and Development Party (AK Party), led by Erdoğan, had recently announced an electoral alliance with the MHP called the People's Alliance.{{cite web|url=https://www.aydinlik.com.tr/devlet-bahceli-cumhur-ittifaki-2019-da-tarih-yazacak-politika-subat-2018-2|title=Devlet Bahçeli: Cumhur ittifakı 2019'da tarih yazacak |work=Aydınlık Gazetesi}} Following his call for early elections, Bahçeli met Erdoğan a day later on 18 April. Erdoğan subsequently announced that his party agreed with Bahçeli that an early election was needed to solve the ongoing 'political and economic uncertainty'. He therefore announced that early elections would take place on 24 June 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/erdogandan-erken-secim-icin-son-dakika-aciklamasi-40809175|title=Erdoğan açıkladı... Erken seçim tarihi belli oldu}}
Presidential election
{{main|2018 Turkish presidential election}}
=Candidates=
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;" |
| colspan=6 | Official list of presidential candidates in order of appearance on the ballot paper{{Cite news|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/975078/Pusuladaki_siralama_belli_oldu__ince_ilk_sirada.html|title=Pusuladaki sıralama belli oldu: İnce ilk sırada|date=2018-05-14|work=Cumhuriyet|access-date=2018-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514162315/http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/975078/Pusuladaki_siralama_belli_oldu__ince_ilk_sirada.html|archive-date=2018-05-14}} |
|---|
| 1
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 150x150px |
| style="width:100px; font-size:100%; background:{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}};"|
! style="width:100px; font-size:100%; background:{{party color|İyi Party}};"| ! style="width:100px; font-size:100%; background:{{party color|Justice and Development Party (Turkey)}};"| ! style="width:100px; font-size:100%; background:{{party color|Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkey)}};"| ! style="width:100px; font-size:100%; background:{{party color|Felicity Party}};"| ! style="width:100px; font-size:100%; background:{{party color|Patriotic Party (Turkey)}};"| |
| Muharrem İnce
| Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (incumbent) |
| CHP {{small|(Nation Alliance)}} | İYİ | AK Party | HDP | Felicity | Patriotic |
| colspan=6 | |
| Campaign
| Campaign | Campaign | Campaign | Campaign | Campaign |
=Results=
{{#section-h:2018 Turkish presidential election|Results}}
Parliamentary election
{{main|2018 Turkish parliamentary election}}
=Parties contesting the election=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:90%; line-height:20px;" |
| Ballot #
! colspan=2 | Coalition ! colspan="3" | Party ! Ideology ! Leader |
|---|
| 1
! rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Justice and Development Party (Turkey)}}; width:2px;"| | rowspan=2 | People's Alliance ! style="background:{{party color|Justice and Development Party (Turkey)}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | AK Parti | Justice and Development Party |
| 2
! style="background:{{party color|Nationalist Movement Party}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | MHP | Nationalist Movement Party |
| colspan = 8 | |
| 3
! colspan=2 rowspan=3 | None ! style="background:{{party color|Free Cause Party}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | HÜDAPAR | Free Cause Party |
| 4
! style="background:{{party color|Patriotic Party (Turkey)}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | VP | Patriotic Party |
| 5
! style="background:{{party color|Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkey)}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | HDP | Peoples' Democratic Party |
| colspan = 8 | |
| 6
! rowspan=3 style="background:{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; width:2px;"| | rowspan=3 | Nation Alliance ! style="background:{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | CHP | Republican People's Party | Kemalism |
| 7
! style="background:{{party color|Felicity Party}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | SP | Felicity Party |
| 8
! style="background:{{party color|İyi Party}}; width:2px;"| | align="center" | İYİ Parti | Good Party |
=Results=
{{#section-h:2018 Turkish parliamentary election|Results}}
| style="width:70%; text-align:center;"
|+ ↓ |
| style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Justice and Development Party (Turkey)}}; width:49.17%;" | 295 | style="background:{{party color|Nationalist Movement Party}}; width:8.17%;" | 49 | style="background:{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; width:24.33%;" | 146 | style="background:{{party color|İyi Party}}; width:7.17%;" | 43 | style="background:{{party color|Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkey)}}; width:11.17%;" | 67 |
| AK Party
| MHP | CHP | İYİ | HDP |
Controversies
{{Further|Turkish presidential election, 2018#Controversies}}
The election process was overshadowed many multiple allegations of violations of its integrity. Prominent among them was the allegation of widespread ballot stuffing for the benefit of AK Party and MHP parties in Turkey's east, in particular in Şanlıurfa province.{{cite web|url=https://ahvalnews.com/elections/element-surprise-turkeys-election-results-analyst|title=The element of surprise in Turkey's election results|publisher=Ahval|date=1 August 2018|access-date=1 August 2018|archive-date=1 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801125009/https://ahvalnews.com/elections/element-surprise-turkeys-election-results-analyst|url-status=dead}}
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline}}
- {{cite web|url=https://carnegieeurope.eu/2018/06/05/three-scenarios-for-turkey-s-elections-pub-76507|title=Three Scenarios for Turkey’s Elections|publisher=Carnegie Europe|author=Marc Pierini|date=5 June 2018}}
{{Turkish elections}}