Local elections were held on March 31, 2019 in Turkey. Nothing is more natural across the world than to have objections against election results. In democracies, according to constitutional state rules, such objections are investigated and the law is addressed. Developments happening in Turkey now are the same thing. Especially in Istanbul and Ankara, there were many objections due to big errors and a "possibility of organized manipulation." According to initial investigations, infractions were documented in Istanbul in the elections. It was proven that there were 319,518 invalid votes. What's worse, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) mutual candidate Binali Yıldırım's votes were proven to be shifted to other parties' candidates. In Istanbul, in certain districts like Şile, Ataşehir, Fatih, Bayrampaşa, Beykoz and Çatalca, the Supreme Election Council (YSK) has decided that the votes have to be recounted. Based on this development the ballot boxes were reopened and the invalid votes began to be reinvestigated.

For example in the election district where the last Prime Minister and Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım's family lives, it was proven that there were fake documents that were showing that only "one" vote was cast for Yıldırım. It is no longer just a suspicion that there was "an organized manipulation" operation in regards to election result documents and ballot boxes in Istanbul and Ankara. Having 319,519 invalid votes in Istanbul is not a usual situation.

On the other hand, there is a big question of how the AK Party candidate was unable to be elected to the mayor's office where 24 out of 39 districts of Istanbul were won by AK Party and only 14 of them were won by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and one of them was won by the MHP. Isn't it against all logic to have the AK Party and MHP's mutual candidate lose the mayor office when it won in 25 districts combined? The situation is not much different in Ankara either. In Ankara, of the 25 districts, 19 were won by the AK Party, three of them by the MHP and only three of them were won by the CHP. Isn't it strange for the AK Party and MHP's mutual candidate Mehmet Özhaseki to lose in Ankara where 22 of the district mayor offices were won by the AK Party and MHP combined and only three district mayor offices were won by the CHP?

Now because of this reason, especially in Istanbul and Ankara, the votes have to be recounted. For this purpose, according to constitutional state rules, the processes began. When the situation is as such, it is unacceptable for some people from Turkey and certain EU member states and the U.S. and some other countries to make ugly statements addressing Turkey. For example in Germany, its hard to see how a representative of a party that is known to support terrorist organizations like the PKK, which are enemies of humanity, and German public opinion, whose democratic attitude is in a questionable state, can have anything to say about "democracy in Turkey."

Especially the U.S., where objections against 2016 election results are still ongoing, is in no position to teach democracy to Turkey.

Turkey's democracy and the process of law in Turkey must be respected. The Turkish Presidency Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has made the following statement regarding a U.S. Foreign Affairs spokesman addressing the local elections, "Elections that were held on Sunday were concluded with peace and order. Our nation has proven its 70 years old will with the ballot. Making the elections free and just is the duty of all offices. The vote to be counted in accord with the law is similarly important. We are investigating many of the objections made based on methodical errors and similar infractions by all political parties closely. Our trust in the offices responsible for the elections to solve all disagreements speedily and transparently with precision is absolute. We are calling all sides to respect the process, including foreign states, by abstaining from any steps that might be considered as meddling with the internal affairs of Turkey." As Altun stated, back in time, in certain EU member states, fascist regimes were trampling democracy and drowning the world in blood, in Turkey, democratic elections were being held for 70 years. Because of this, as in any other state where there are errors in elections or there are infractions, responsible offices are doing their jobs transparently. Based on fair counting, whether the AK Party or CHP candidate, whoever wins will take his certificate of election and begin his duty. Nobody should manipulate the results by announcing "this or that candidate won" before the votes are fairly counted and their checks are made. In Turkey, the candidates elected by the voters will become mayors, not the candidates that the U.S. and certain EU member states wish.