A language that does not polarize society should be used!

Stating that the local elections are the scene of serious competition between the parties although not as much as the general elections, experts recommend that political parties and candidates carry out their election campaigns in a restrained manner.

Stating that the use of a language that does not polarize the society during the election campaign process of political parties will make an important contribution to social peace, Political Scientist Prof. Havva Kök Arslan said that "Using a language that is as soft as possible and does not polarize the society will make an important contribution to social peace."

Üsküdar University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Political Science and International Relations (English) Department Head Prof. Havva Kök Arslan pointed out what needs to be done to prevent possible chaotic situations before the local elections.

"Local elections are competitive, although not as much as in general elections"

Stating that the local elections are the scene of a serious competition between the parties, although not as much as in the general elections, Prof. Havva Kök Arslan said that the local elections are a competition area for the opposition parties to gain strength in the power race, especially in big cities, in terms of the victory of their own candidates, strengthening their political reputation in the country and consolidating their power.

"Local elections contribute to our country's commitment to the culture of democracy"

Prof. Havva Kök Arslan stated that "In such a competitive environment, it is essential for all parties to act in a way that does not allow electoral competition to overshadow the election," and continued her remarks as follows:

"It would be beneficial for all parties to behave in a way that respects their voters and preferences of their voters at the polling stations in their districts, and to advise their voters to be cautious about acting calmly, prudently and deliberately. Likewise, it is of great importance for polling officials to act with the awareness of responsible citizens and to pay attention to carry out a transparent process without any doubts to prevent or minimize possible negative situations. Local elections also contribute to our country's commitment to democratic culture and democratic values."

"Candidates should conduct their election campaigns in a restrained manner"

Prof. Havva Kök Arslan also suggested that political parties and candidates carry out their election campaigns in a restrained manner and expressed that "Using a soft language that does not polarize the society as much as possible will make an important contribution to social peace. The language to be used in the election campaign process and the general atmosphere are actually more important in terms of social peace than on election day. However, it would be beneficial for the parties to call on their voters to act calmly in case of negative situations."

What is the role and responsibility of social media during election periods?

Noting that the role of social media in election periods is just as important as the media, Prof. Havva Kök Arslan said that "It is not possible to completely prevent information pollution in social media as well as in the media. For this reason, it is very important that the society does not take any information that circulates before and after the election seriously without confirming it. More than anything else, it is important to consider the posts of people from every segment of society who are respected by the society and act with a sense of responsibility, and to be cold-blooded against some shocking or agitating posts whose source and basis are unknown. Although our society is emotional and warm-blooded, it has been able to maintain its composure at the right time today, as it has in the past."

"Competition is natural in politics"

Pointing out the importance of paying attention to the operation of a transparent process during the election, Prof. Havva Kök Arslan stated that "Competition is inherent in politics, and as in previous elections, there will be objections at the ballot boxes from time to time during the process. In these cases, everyone's compliance with the rules and laws will be able to minimize possible negativities. As all citizens, our responsibility is to respect the law, to have a calm and peaceful election and to contribute to the reflection of the will of the people in the ballot box in the most accurate way. The way to do this is to assimilate the democratic culture and respect the will of the voters in any region."

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)