Before the second round of the mayoral election in Istanbul, the AKP candidate Binali yıldırım is clearly behind the Opposition candidate. A TV-to a duel to bring the turn – however, Yildirim’s chances are not good.
It is a Turkish conditions unusual event in the election to the office of the mayor of Istanbul: A week before the repetition of the choice, make Binali Yildirim of the Islamic-conservative AKP and the opposition candidate Ekrem imamoğlu on Sunday, a duel in the Turkish television. Such events, in which the top candidate to replace before important elections, their positions are in most democratic countries as a matter of course – but not in Turkey: Since 17 years, there has been no such duel more. Since the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived with his party, the AKP, in 2002, to Power, boycotted it, these broadcast formats.
In the process, Erdogan benefited duels as the Istanbul local politicians in the 90s, even a huge TV. As a politician from the Islamic-oriented predecessor parties to the AKP, the welfare and justice party, he used conservative points of view far from the political Mainstream of Turkey. In the TV duels, he found together with his followers – including his famous father Necmettin Erbakan – a platform to counter the negative Image of his party to fight. In the parliamentary elections of 2002, the great Triumph came: Erdogan’s AKP won a clear election victory. Since then, it has seen Erdogan as or higher than the representatives of the ACP never again in the TV-duel with an opposition candidate.
The Turkish President does not keep his duels a lot of TV, but it has benefits as a local politician of them
Akif Beki, from 2005 to 2009, the press Advisor to the current President, has a round for the media strategic turn a statement: “Such a conversation, the Erdogan earlier used, he considers today to be useless. His competitors, which he considered not equal to, should not benefit from his popularity. He also doesn’t want to be going in rounds, and there, as backward, as shown, it is often occurred.”
Return to the talk shows
So, it appears inexplicable why the ACP after 17 years, before the second round in Istanbul, on a TV debate with a representative of the opposition party gets involved – and also, under balanced conditions: Moderator Ismail Kücükkaya is not considered as an ACP close to the TV station Fox News, which transmits the duel, as rather critical of the government.
Only 18 days of mayor of Istanbul: Ekrem imamoğlu
In addition, the opposition candidate, imamoğlu, in all likelihood, is in a duel advantage. He is regarded as a good rhetorician, Yildirim acts, however, at public appearances, often ponderous and unimaginative. In addition, it dominates imamoğlu skillfully, the weak open set of the competitors. He relentlessly accuses the Istanbul administration, which was headed for 25 years of the ACP, irregularities and waste in the performance of duties. He had in his short term of office noted before the High election Commission dropped him after 18 days as mayor. In times, in which a violent economy added the crisis of the Turkish population, he has met with this choice of topics a nerve.
Polls show, as the projection of the CHP candidate Imamoglus has grown since the decision that the election had to be repeated, – a lead of two to six percent is forecast for the opposition candidate. So it is hardly to be expected that it is Yildirim will succeed, just by a TV debate against his competitors, imamoğlu a turn to initiate.
For Erdogan the game
Istanbul is the economic centre of par excellence in Turkey and has a well-filled Treasury, which was used by the government party for many years, essential business contacts, to maintain. Furthermore, Erdogan himself was once Istanbul’s mayor, has built a powerful network and captured then the whole of the Republic.
In discussions, often ponderous and unimaginative: ACP candidate Ali Yildirim
Erdogan knows exactly: A defeat in Istanbul would be a huge loss of power. Therefore, the party in government has done a lot to the Afghan people but still, The choice of repetition, which was arranged by the High electoral Commission only under the pressure of the ACP; a charm Offensive to Kurdish voters in Istanbul; Attempts to discredit the opposition candidates, imamoğlu by the ACP representatives to put him under, he was influenced by “external powers”. None of it was successful – to a sovereign imamoğlu occurred so far in the election campaign.
Guessing about the motives of
Opposition voters believe the TV debate could be a move by the government party, in order to present themselves as transparent and democratic. “The imamoğlu-Yildirim-debate to create the impression that the race for the mayor post taking place in a democratic framework,” explains the political scientist Ülkü Doganay, the setting of the TV-duel. Many see the unexpected TV duel as a “desperate act”, such as Erdogan’s former press adviser Beki: “It is not likely that Erdogan has changed his view to the TV-duels all of a sudden. There is only one reason why he has given the green light: Because of Yildirim’s campaign has so far been anything but good.”
Turkish President Erdogan has turned on since 2002 in all the election campaigns, no longer manifests itself since the days of the election campaign in Istanbul. Many people in the city believe, therefore, that he would like to allow Yildirim to open the knife to run to him on 23. To be able to June, the blame for a bitter defeat in the election to defer.