During the past week, the Justice and Development Party announced its electoral program and lists of candidates. The electoral program has reached about 500 pages, which is nearly twice the announced electoral program of the opposition. In this program, Erdogan promised to reduce inflation, increase the volume of economic growth, and strengthen the presidential system in line with the centenary of Turkey’s founding. Defense industries and domestic technology today form an essential part of the AKP’s campaign, which disturbs many in the opposition due to the issue’s ability to attract young people and show the state and society’s human resources in the appearance of a strong, independent one that advances technologically and industrially by leaps and bounds despite the difficulties, obstacles, and pressures that are exerted on it. country.
In this context, the party promised its voters to increase defense industry exports to $15 billion, invest in the telephone network, high-speed Internet lines, and build a high-speed rail system. In order to give credibility to these promises, the focus was on the achievements that were achieved during the last period, including the national vehicle Tog, the launching of the first drone aircraft carrier in the world (TCG Anatolia) and its entry into service, in addition to the marches of all kinds, including the “Bayraktar TB3” march. And the offensive march of “Qizil Alma”, but the question remains: Will the campaign succeed in attracting more young people?
6.7 million!
According to some reports, today there are about 6.7 million Turkish voters who are entitled to vote and were born after the year 2000. This means that they have never seen anyone in power except for the Justice and Development Party. Moreover, this segment did not have the opportunity to evaluate any competitor through political performance, or see the dire situation of the country on a number of levels, including health, public services and security before 2002.
Before that date, Turkey was drowning socially, economically, politically, and in security, and the army played a fundamental role in politics, defining the political roles of the parties, and drawing the framework for political life in general in the country. In addition, conservative citizens were persecuted and discriminated against at various levels under the pretext of protecting secularism. In foreign policy, Turkey was seen as a mere follower of America and Israel, and that it stood humiliated at the door of the European Union, waiting for something to be blessed.
A segment of these people wants to see political change in the country today, regardless of its form or perhaps its content. They do not care who will replace the current ruler, they only want change, and they have not heard that one should be careful of what he wishes sometimes, as he may be disappointed when he achieves what he wants.
Peoples, Kurdistan and terrorism
In a recent tweet, former co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş—who has been in prison since 2016 for, among other things, incitement to arms—said we will do everything we can to disarm the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey. After the end of the rule of the Justice and Development Party. The Labor Party recently announced that it will extend its decision to cease operations until after the next elections. The PKK is one of the worst terrorist groups classified on terrorist lists in Turkey, the United States, the European Union, NATO and a number of countries, due to its responsibility for the killing of tens of thousands of Turkish citizens over the past decades.
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