President Erdoğan: Turkey has completed the March 31 elections with democratic maturity
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a press conference on the March 31 local elections in Istanbul.
“Turkey has completed the March 31 elections with democratic maturity. Our people have manifested their will in the polls with a high turnout,” President Erdoğan said, voicing his hope that the elections will yield auspicious results for our country, for our nation, for our cities, neighborhoods and villages.
“I will depart soon for Ankara. I will deliver a balcony speech and evaluate the election results there,” President Erdoğan said.
“The results show that we have come first in the elections just as we always did since the elections on November 3, 2002,” President Erdoğan said, noting that they have come first along with their partner, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), in the People’s Alliance on basis of alliances.
“WINS AND LOSSES ARE THE OUTCOME OF OUR PEOPLE’S WILL”
“In terms of the Justice and Development Party and the People’s Alliance, some municipalities are won and some are lost. It is the outcome of our people’s will, an essential part of democracy, which should be accepted. We will acknowledge that we have won our people’s hearts in the cities we won and we were not successful enough in the cities we lost. And we will determine our course of action accordingly,” President Erdoğan said.
Stating that he regards very important the election results in eastern and southeastern regions, President Erdoğan said: “During the election campaign, we have drawn attention to the efforts to put chains on people’s will. I clearly highlighted that during my rallies in eastern and southeastern regions. The results have shown that our Kurdish brothers and sisters will not surrender their will to the terrorist organization or those who are backed by the terrorist organization.”
“THOSE WHO WANTED TO DISRUPT OUR PEOPLE’S UNITY AND SOLIDARITY HAVE BEEN DEFEATED ONCE AGAIN”
Noting that, in other cities, people were sought to be manipulated toward alliances backed by unknown negotiations, President Erdoğan said that the results have shown that these efforts failed, and that the message he gave on the permanence of our state has been well understood by the people.
“Those who wanted to bring our country to its knees by disrupting our people’s unity and solidarity have been defeated once again. I thank each and every one of our citizens in 81 provinces for their honorable stances,” President Erdoğan said.
Underscoring that the next elections in Turkey will be held in January, 2023, and that a continuous action period of nearly 4.5 years lies ahead of Turkey, President Erdoğan said: “We will now look ahead. And we will focus on Turkey’s economy, politics, defense industry and investments.”
“I, in my capacity as the executive power, and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, as the legislative branch, will continue to work day and night in cooperation to carry Turkey to its goals. And we will continue to govern Turkey till the end of our tenure,” President Erdoğan said.
“WE WILL CAREFULLY PUT INTO ACTION A STRONG ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
“We have a crucial reform period on our agenda. We will adhere to the rules of the free market economy and will carefully put into action a strong economic program, which we prepared in line with our goals. Now, a long period lies ahead of us, during which we will put into effect economic reforms and uncompromisingly focus on our goal for a great Turkey. We will continue to deal with the instabilities and threats in our region through diplomatic channels and military power. Especially, we will continue to work to make our country an island of peace and will give no quarter to terrorist organizations. We will work day and night to advance our country toward our goals for 2023 during a period of great regional and global change,” President Erdoğan added.
President Erdoğan ended his speech as follows: “I once again wish that the elections will yield auspicious results for our country and for our cities.”
