Political scientist Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan stated that, contrary to expectations, the historically significant May 14 general elections were realized peacefully, smoothly, and without controversy, reflecting the national will of the Turkish people. Arslan said, 'Those with headscarves, those with mini skirts, the religious, and the non-religious entered the same lines, chatted with each other, and cast their votes in the same ballot boxes. No incidents of violence were observed either during voting or during vote counting. The executive branch did not take any action that would cast a shadow on the impartiality of the elections, and the election process was carried out under the authority of the legislative body, YSK,' evaluating the election day with these remarks. She also shared her predictions that the political process would run smoothly in the second round, to be held on May 28, that political tensions would further decrease at this stage, and that participation might slightly decline.
Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan: “Voting Day Was Like a Festival”
At Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (English), Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, evaluated domestic and international reactions after May 14, providing information regarding the manifestation of the general elections.
“The National Will Manifested Peacefully and Without Controversy”
Starting her words by underlining that Westerners mostly have orientalist prejudices against Turkey, Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan said, 'The great Turkish nation conducted the May 14 general elections peacefully, with dignity and calmness befitting itself, and the national will manifested smoothly and without controversy. Contrary to the public opinion created both domestically and abroad, the elections in Turkey did not take place in great confusion and chaos. Especially the orientalist prejudices of Westerners against Turkey did not find a response. Although they reminded that scenes of violence, such as tribes attacking each other and bloody incidents occurring after elections, which they are accustomed to seeing in African countries that they exploited for years and granted so-called freedom in the 1960s, could also be seen after the general elections in Turkey, this situation did not occur.'
“Our Country's Only Bloody Elections Were the Raiding of the Ottoman Parliament by British Occupation Forces”
Arslan, giving examples from comments and headlines regarding the election results, said, 'Just a week ago, unacceptable headlines such as 'Erdoğan will not quietly leave office' were published for our esteemed President. The paradox here is that this headline was published by a British magazine that reported the only bloody and eventful election in our country was the one in 1919, when the democratically elected Turkish Ottoman Parliament was raided and dispersed by the British Occupation Forces. The Turkish Grand National Assembly was also attacked on July 15, but we all know that this attack was not a result of a general election,' she assessed.
“No Incidents of Violence Observed During Voting and Counting”
Observing that everyone at the ballot boxes was helping each other like it was a festival, Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan said, 'On May 14, the Turkish Nation, with its headscarved, mini-skirted, religious, and non-religious citizens, entered the same lines, chatted, laughed, and cast their votes in the same ballot boxes, and everyone wished each other good luck. No incidents of violence were observed either during voting or during vote counting. The executive branch did not take any action that would cast a shadow on the impartiality of the elections, and the election process was carried out under the authority of the legislative body, YSK. Special measures were taken for the elderly and disabled in the election. And the best part was that it was held in an atmosphere where everyone helped everyone else, like a festival, with offerings of refreshments.'
“There Are Those Who Cannot Stomach That We Had a Non-Violent Election…”
Arslan, pointing this out as an important answer to those who cannot stomach that we had a non-violent election, said, 'I hope that the mentality that equates a great nation with tribal states and considers only themselves civilized has changed to some extent.' To those who cannot stomach that we had a higher turnout rate than their own countries, full respect for the national will, and a non-violent election, she reminded them of the first sentence in the preface of the book written about our country in the 1990s by Hugh Pope, a British journalist who worked in our country for years:
'Westerners find it difficult to understand Turkey, yet to understand Turkey and the Turkish people, there is only one thing they need to know above all else; that Turkey has never been a colony.'
“I Believe the Political Process Will Run Smoothly in the Second Round Too”
Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (English), Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, concluded her words as follows:
“We cannot evaluate May 14 without commemorating Atatürk, the founder of our country, who taught the world a lesson in democracy in the centenary of the Republic. I believe that by representing the Republic at the highest level, we will elect our 13th President and Parliament with a maturity that will be an example to the world. I also think that the political process will run smoothly in the second round, but at this stage, political tensions will decrease further, and participation might slightly decline.”