Turkish Interior Minister campaigns for local elections, raising concerns over electoral integrity

Duvar English

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on March 20 campaigned for local elections in Istanbul, raising questions over electoral integrity.

In a social media post, Yerlikaya shared his visit to Istanbul’s Silivri district, asking for votes for the ruling People’s Alliance’s candidate Volkan Yılmaz. 

“We visited the streets and avenues of our district with Volkan Yılmaz, the mayor of Silivri, whose star is shining day by day, and the mayoral candidate of our People's Alliance on March 31st,” Yerlikaya said, and added, “Silivri adds great strength to the construction of the Century of Turkey, and I believe it will continue to do so.”

Yılmaz is the Silivri mayoral candidate from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Yerlikaya’s post raised concerns over electoral integrity, as his ministry is responsible for maintaining it.

“Interior Minister Yerlikaya is asking for votes for Murat Kurum (AKP Istanbul candidate). On March 31st, if there are doubts about electoral security and results, how will Yerlikaya explain the situation?,” journalist İsmail Saymaz said in a tweet.

Several ministers from the AKP have abused their ministerial powers for election propaganda previously. Former Environment Minister and Istanbul mayoral candidate Murat Kurum even boasted about using his ministry for election propaganda in 2023 and said that “using his ministerial authority” was his utmost right.

Turkey will hold local elections on March 31.

Turkish Urbanization Minister boasts about using ministerial powers for election campaignPolitics

TİP deems election results ‘dubious’ due to irregularitiesPolitics

Many ballot box results incorrectly recorded into Turkish election council’s databasePolitics