French engineer Philippe Roger Delaisement, 49, who visited Turkey 12 years ago and decided to settle in Bursa, aims to continue his professional success in the political field. Delaisement, who has dual citizenship, has applied to run as the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy candidate for Bursa.
In his statement to Anadolu Agency, he said that he was assigned to Turkey by the company that he worked for as a mechatronic engineer in 2002, and that he did not want to come at first due to the false allegations and cliche statements about Turkey. After conducting research on Turkey, the Frenchman changed his mind, came to Turkey and met and married his wife Evrim Delaisement after setting down in Bursa. Stating that Turkish people are very warm-hearted, Delaisement said, "I love this country. I have never encountered a difficult situation in 12 years. I do not know how Turkey was before, but for the last 12 years, the country is on the rise and has developed immensely. However, we need to go further." Moreover, he highlighted that he loves politics, and has conducted research on international politics and political systems. Stressing that Turkey has become more democratic in 12 years, he said, "One of the best developments is that Turks can now choose their own president, which is very important." He also said that this big step suits a democratic country. "The people should decide because they are what matter the most," he added.
Delaisement also shared his thoughts about the Turkish political system. He said that there is something lacking in Turkish politics. "The new laws that come into force should be controlled. You can change laws, but the new changes might also cause mistakes or problems," he explained. He cited the French senate as an example by stressing that they carefully scrutinize every law that passes parliament before it enters into force. Delaisement also said that he believes the presidential system would benefit Turkey.
Moreover, Delaisement drew attention to the fact that Europeans do not have accurate information about Turkey and Turks. Emphasizing that these prejudices about Turkey must be addressed and changed, he said, "I am telling people that Turkey is not a country as they imagine it. If I become a deputy, I can be more influential." He informed his relatives in France who were very surprised when they first leaned about his application to the AK Party. "It was a surprise for them," he said, and claimed that even his relatives do not know much about Turkey. "They must think 'how can he love a country like Turkey?' but I love Turkey deeply. When I told them I want to be a deputy, they understood me," he said. He added that he helped his friend who lives in Sweden to build a factory in Bursa. "If I can do this without any power, image what I can do when I become a deputy. I can bring 100 companies to Turkey. That is why I applied for the nomination," he concluded.
