In the local election held in Turkey on March 31, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the ruling power in Turkey for the past 16 years, came out first by receiving 45 percent of the vote share across the country. The overall vote share of the People's Alliance formed by the AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) was 52 percent. The People's Alliance won the municipalities of 50 provinces and 680 districts. Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) vote share remained around 30 percent, whereas the Nation Alliance, made up of the CHP and the Good Party (İP) received only 38 percent. The alliance won the municipalities of 21 provinces and 210 districts. The focal point of the March 31 election has been the Istanbul mayoral election, where around 9 million went to the polls. The vote difference between the two major opponents in Istanbul was very small. The People's Alliance mayoral candidate Binali Yıldırım received 48.55 percent while the Nation's Alliance candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu won by receiving 48.80 percent of the votes.
On that result Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK) awarded the election certificate to the CHP's mayor-elect İmamoğlu.
However, the People's Alliance filed an objection petition to the YSK, the body in charge of governing elections, by providing some documents that showed irregularities. The objections were accepted and the votes in some election districts were recounted in the city, where more than 32,000 ballot boxes were registered for the local election. After the recount, the difference between İmamoğlu and Yıldırım fell from 29,000 to 12,000.
Based on the data obtained after the recount, the People's Alliance argued that the results might change if a full vote recount of all the districts of Istanbul was done. The alliance also added in the petition evidence showing that thousands of polling clerks did not meet the legal prerequisites required to be assigned for the elections.
On Monday this week, the YSK ruled in favor of the petition on the basis that was systematic fraud in Istanbul polls and decided for a redo of the Istanbul election with four out of seven votes.
Although this process is operating in compliance with the Turkish Constitution and practices, it is being shown as an extraordinary situation.
The sentimental remarks by the opposition are understandable since it got very close to ruling Turkey's biggest city for the first time after 25 years. The CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's provocations targeting the YSK judges will also be answered through legal means.
But it is not possible to say the same for the obnoxious statements issued from abroad, especially from Europe, that intervene in the domestic affairs of Turkey.
For instance, Claudia Roth, the German Green Party politician and one of the vice presidents of the Bundestag, defined this lawful and legitimate decision of Turkey's higher judicial bodies as a "declaration of war."
Likewise, the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey, Kati Piri, accused the Turkish president, who represents the will of millions of voters, without presenting any evidence:
"Erdoğan does not accept defeat and goes against the will of the people. The AKP pressured YSK to rerun local elections in Istanbul. This ends the credibility of democratic transition of power through elections in Turkey."
Although I have some ideas on the motivations of Western politicians, I will not express any opinion regarding them. But I can say that no matter what their true motivations are, such claims of European politicians that disregard diplomatic practices and laws draw reactions among the Turkish electorate of all political segments. Even the dissident electorate is disturbed by this external fanaticism.
Consequently, if they really want to contribute to the democracy fight of the Turkish people, they should stop their manipulative statements at least until the re-election on June 23.