Mehlika Yaren Türk, studying in the English Political Science and International Relations department at Üsküdar University, attracted the attention of AK Party Çanakkale Deputy Jülide İskenderoğlu with the projects she brought to life. Yaren became a guest of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
"I believe that the concept of family is formed not only by blood ties but also by soul ties"
Deputy Jülide İskenderoğlu, speaking about the importance of family ties in her life, said: "I was born in Balıkesir in 1974. I have a 19-year-old son and a marriage that has been going well for 24 years. First, I fell in love with Çanakkale, and then with a person from Çanakkale. I am a bit stubborn and find it hard to make decisions. I have a deliberative nature. I consider myself very fortunate. To me, the most beautiful thing in the world is family, and I have a very beautiful family. My friends, my companions, they are all my family because I believe that the concept of family is formed not only by blood ties but also by soul ties.”
"I didn't have an education life; education became my life"
Deputy Jülide İskenderoğlu, giving advice to students with examples from her own educational life, said: "When I came to Çanakkale for university, I initially couldn't get a dorm room. For this reason, for the first 15 days, they had turned a small mosque into a dormitory, and I stayed there. At that time, the number of dormitories in Çanakkale was less than it is now. Therefore, I highly value a government that is now in power, comprised of friends and siblings who have experienced similar difficulties. I believe every student should experience dormitory life to learn about life. I learned the importance of sharing in the dorm. You might have money in your pocket, but if you don't have friends, sometimes you'll go hungry at night. Furthermore, I am also considering pursuing a master's degree in international relations this year. Because we are living in a period where learning never ends. I didn't have an education life; education became my life.”
"Politics was never in my dreams"
Deputy Jülide İskenderoğlu, speaking about the process of politics entering her life, said: "Politics was never in my dreams. In my youth, my father and I used to listen to party leaders speaking on single-channel television. That night, we would gather as a family and decide which party to vote for, but I never recall attending a rally. I remember a television program after Tayyip Erdoğan became a mayoral candidate. He participated in the program 'Laf Lafı Açıyor with Cem Özer' along with other candidates, and he was the only one who had a project and announced it. I was very impressed by this. Later, when we heard he would establish his own party, my husband and I joined the party.”
"Woman is the conscience of politics"
Deputy Jülide İskenderoğlu, drawing attention to the advantages and disadvantages of being a female politician in Turkish politics, said: "In Turkish politics, women are new actors. If we look at Çanakkale, we will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Republic, but the number of female deputies in the 100th year is low. Our founding leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, put Turkey ahead of many countries by granting women the right to vote and be elected. To me, woman is the conscience of politics. We women can be good brides, good wives, good children, good neighbors, but we can also be good politicians. It's only because there are fewer women that they are perceived as not supporting each other. Yet hundreds of men don't get along, but this never comes up as an issue. When women learn to lift each other up, we will overcome all difficulties effortlessly.”
"Motherhood was the most challenging situation for me on the path to politics"
Deputy Jülide İskenderoğlu, expressing the difficulties of being a mother on the path to politics, said: "Motherhood was the most challenging situation for me on the path to politics. Many times, I know I left my child sleeping in their bed to go to a meeting or party. Separating from my child was very difficult for me. In normal jobs, most social activities are sacrificed, but as someone who does politics alongside work, I can say this: everything else falls into place, but there are times when you leave your child and don't get to see them grow up.”