‘Quake recovery top priority,’ People’s Alliance vows in election protocol
AS THE May 14 elections approach in Türkiye, the People’s Alliance emphasized its goals and aims in a protocol submitted to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) on Friday, stating that its priority during the election process is to “heal the wounds of the earthquake and complete the reconstruction process.”
On Feb. 6, the deadly earthquake, with its epicenter in Kahramanmaraş, affected 11 provinces in southeastern Türkiye, causing tens of thousands of deaths and leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless.
According to the submitted protocol, the priority is to “take necessary measures for risk and disaster management simultaneously against all kinds of disasters” and “to eliminate the deficiencies in legislation and increase technological, human and institutional capacity within this scope.”
Since the disaster’s first day, all state institutions have flocked to the region, and a comprehensive recovery process has been immediately kicked off.
The protocol underlined that the construction of permanent residences within the recovery process would be delivered to their owners within a year.
According to the document, shared on social media by Recep Özel, the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) representative to the YSK, the election alliance consists of the AK Party, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Grand Union Party (BBP) and the New Welfare Party (YRP).
On March 24, the YRP agreed to endorse the alliance, the party’s chairperson Fatih Erbakan said, noting that he has withdrawn his candidacy for the presidential elections and endorsed Erdoğan.
The Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR), which is not officially included in the alliance, also announced that they would support the alliance and their parliamentary candidates will be nominated from AK Party nomination lists.
The alliance’s election protocol said that the four members would enter the elections as different political parties while preserving their capacities and providing separate candidate lists within the framework of Law No. 2839.
“The joint candidate of the alliance for the elections is President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” the protocol underlined.
‘NATIONAL STANCE’
The document submitted to the country’s top election body included the alliance’s formation, core principles, and vision.
“The People’s Alliance emerged as a natural consequence of a domestic and national stance against the attacks Türkiye faced after the deadly coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) on July 15, 2016.”
In the text, the coup attempt was described as “a turning point for the country in every aspect and a new beginning.”
The text also highlighted the famous Yenikapı meeting in Istanbul on Aug. 7, 2016, shortly after the coup attempt. All political parties attended to express their unity despite the brutal and failed attempt.
It said, “The national consensus that emerged in Yenikapı in 2016 was solidified into a national consciousness with the government system change accepted by the people in the referendum on April 16, 2017.”
It was also stated that with the People’s Alliance established before the June 24, 2018 elections, it was concretized with “moral and political reconciliation” based on national survival.
The text stated that the June 2018 election resulted in the People’s Alliance’s victory. With Erdoğan’s swearing-in on July 9, 2018, the Presidential Government System became effective de facto and legally.
PROGRESS AND FUTURE
According to the text, the People’s Alliance has made positive progressive contributions to the country amid global difficulties.
The text highlighted “historical steps” taken by the alliance, such as reopening the Grand Hagia Sophia Mosque for worship, the liberation of Karabakh, and the formerly ghost town Varosha (Maraş) in Cyprus.
The protocol also mentioned that the alliance had implemented significant transportation and energy projects, including discovering natural gas in the Black Sea, which will contribute to Türkiye’s wealth.
It said that the alliance’s policies had assisted Türkiye in becoming a “global actor” in several areas, from diplomacy to defense.
DEMOCRACY AND RULE OF LAW
The document emphasized democracy and the rule of law, stating that the alliance is determined to “keep the country alive forever with the ambition of achieving (modern Türkiye’s founding leader) Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s goal of reaching the level of contemporary civilization.”
“The People’s Alliance will continue to guarantee the complete enjoyment of basic rights and freedoms, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law,” the text said.
“The alliance is not only an electoral alliance but also a national and moral stance against domestic and foreign hostile attempts against Türkiye, and within this framework, it is a historical unity to be maintained.”
The protocol concluded, “The alliance is not built on seat and position bargaining or sharing, but on agreement on basic principles and goals and walking together towards them.”
On May 14, the Turkish people will head to the polls to choose both their president and all 600 members of Parliament.
Experts predict a record turnout as the nation is fully focused on this historic election.
The race is particularly tight between two leading alliances, the People’s Alliance and the Nation Alliance, which is an opposition alliance made up of six parties.
The Nation Alliance announced the joint candidacy of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the chairperson of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), against Erdoğan.