Turkey Elections; 'Decisive' Victory for Justice and Development, Criticism from Opponents

Reports indicate that the Turkey elections have concluded with the victory of the 'Justice and Development' Party, and the results of the majority of votes show that this party will not need to form a coalition with other parties to establish a government. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, praised the election results, while his opposition parties raised criticisms and accusations. The parliamentary elections in Turkey were held on November 1; this came after the Justice and Development Party lost the necessary majority to form a non-coalition government in the previous elections in June. Erdoğan, who is the founder of the party, stated that the election results 'show that the people preferred development and action over conflict and dispute in the November 1 elections.' According to Agence France-Presse, Erdoğan added that voters 'demonstrated a strong desire for unity and integrity.' The election results indicate that the Justice and Development Party could secure up to 315 seats, with 49% of the votes cast. In Turkey's 550-seat parliament, this number of seats is sufficient to form a government without needing a coalition. According to the Turkish newspaper 'Hürriyet,' just over 10% of the votes went to the People's Democratic Party, which focuses on issues concerning Turkey's Kurds. Meanwhile, the main opposition party, the 'Republican,' received 25% and the Nationalist Movement Party garnered nearly 12% of the votes. Both the Nationalist Movement and Democratic parties lost approximately five and three percent of their votes compared to the June elections. The Republican Party's result was only slightly better than in the previous elections. In recent hours, government opponents have criticized the results and made accusations. The Turkish newspaper 'Zaman' quoted leaders of the People's Democratic Party stating that the elections were not fair and that Erdoğan's deliberate policy of polarizing society led to a decrease in their votes. According to Zaman, this party claims that after two deadly explosions in recent weeks in Ankara and Suruç, they were forced to cancel their election rallies and received less airtime on television programs. Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, also stated that the election results do not improve the blurry and vague image of Turkey. He accused the 13-year government of the Justice and Development Party of 'failure and corruption.' Ahmet Davutoğlu, leader of the Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister of Turkey, stated that the November 1 elections were like a referendum for a 'new Turkey.' He has already promised changes to the constitution. Government opponents have expressed concerns that the 'Justice and Development' Party is seeking to implement changes to the constitution that would grant more power to the presidency. Erdoğan reached this position last year following the first direct vote for the presidential elections. He had previously served as Turkey's Prime Minister for nearly a decade. The Justice and Development Party, considered a center-right party with an Islamic foundation, has held power since 2002.