AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightThis data-based comparative analysis clarifies the impact of new dynamics shaping the new political sphere on election results.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
The 31 March local elections in Turkey, the first local elections after Turkey’s transition to presidential system, was a breaking point in Turkey’s local election history. Contrary to the June 24 elections, the candidates of two party blocs run in the elections without forming alliances in a legal framework. While the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) formed the People’s Alliance, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Good Party came together under the Nation Alliance. The Democratic People’s Party (HDP) did not nominate candidates in 11 provinces and supported the candidates of the Nation Alliance. The parties in the same alliance bloc did not nominate candidates in favor of alliance members in certain electoral circles. In the ballot papers, there were only the emblem of the parties that nominated candidates. Moreover, parties joined in municipal council elections by forming joint lists where only one candidate from the same alliance run for the elections.This study empirically and comparatively analyzes the results of the March 31 local elections in terms of the dynamics of the new political space. Firstly, regarding also the results of the 24 June elections, the study focuses on how Turkey’s new political space was shaped via the alliances in the 31 March local elections. This part of the study also evaluates how pre-electoral alliances and strategic or tactical voting behavior shaped new political sphere and affected the results of local elections. Secondly, based on the People’s Alliance and the Nation Alliance, the election results of the AK Party, MHP, CHP, Good Party, and HDP and bloc politics were analyzed. This data-based comparative analysis clarifies the impact of new dynamics shaping the new political sphere on election results.
Özet
Türkiye’nin başkanlık sistemine geçişinin ardından yapılan ilk seçim olan 31 Mart yerel seçimleri, Türkiye yerel seçim tarihi açısından pek çok ilki barındırmıştır. 24 Haziran seçimlerinin aksine partilerin yasal bir çerçeve olmadan ittifak kurduğu seçimlerde iki ittifak blokunun adayları yarışmıştır. Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AK Parti) ve Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi (MHP) Cumhur İttifakı’nı, Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP) ve İyi Parti ise Millet İttifakı’nı oluşturmuştur. Doğrudan Millet İttifakı’nın içerisinde yer almasa da Halkların Demokratik Partisi (HDP) 11 büyükşehir ve ilde Millet İttifakı lehine aday çıkarmayarak bu ittifaka destek vermiştir. Aynı ittifak blokunda yer alan partiler belirli seçim çevrelerinde ittifak ortaklarının lehine aday çıkarmamıştır. Dolayısıyla oy pusulalarında sadece aday çıkaran partilerin amblemi yer almıştır. Ayrıca aynı ittifaktan tek bir adayın yarıştığı seçim bölgelerinin önemli bir bölümünde belediye meclisi seçimlerinde de partiler ortak listeler oluşturarak seçimlere katılmıştır.