President Erdogan defiant over right to speak on upcoming polls

Despite rising criticism from opposition parties and a fresh reaction from two members of Turkey’s top election body, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists that he will not halt public rallies ahead of the June 7 polls, in which he indirectly campaigns for his former Justice and Development Party (AKP) and a shift to the presidential system, the Hurriyet reported Saturday.

“Wherever you go, you cannot remove me from avenues, you cannot silence me,” Erdogan said in the Central Anatolian province of Kırıkkale, addressing the crowd at yet another joint opening ceremony.

Erdogan’s rallies usually take the form of such opening ceremonies of public or private facilities. He has held 11 such rallies since the start of the election process on March 10, while Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has held 34 rallies.

Erdogan needs 367 seats for a constitutional change at parliament in favor of the presidential system, while 330 seats would be enough to take the issue to a referendum.

Erdogan said in Kırıkkale that the opposition was “disturbed” by the fact that he is visiting all provinces and had therefore complained to the Supreme Election Board (YSK).

“The YSK is refusing [their applications],” he said, referring to separate moves by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), all three of which are currently represented at parliament.

“We bow only to God. Not anywhere else. We walk forward and they have bad dreams. We walk forward and they shiver,” Erdogan said.

“They talk about [the president] being impartial. I am at an equal distance from all parties. Everyone has a party in their heart and there is one in mine too. But I would not name it in rallies,” he said, adding that he was on “the side of the people” rather than any political party.

The parties had asked the YSK to ensure principles of fair broadcasting before the June 7 election, claiming that Erdogan’s recent speeches violated the constitution by being “partisan” in favor of the ruling AKP.

Although the YSK rejected all appeals against Erdogan, two members of the 11-person body opposed the latest decision, according to a report in daily Cumhuriyet on May 15.

However, the two members also argued that the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) can and should “ensure the rule of law” by ensuring that Erdogan’s “propaganda speeches” do not break the rules of fair election broadcasting.

According to the report prepared by Süleyman Demirkan, who was elected to the RTÜK as a member from the CHP, Turkish TV stations broadcast Erdogan’s live speeches for a total of 44 hours and 32 minutes from April 27 to May 3.

Opposition parties argue that Erdogan’s speeches have led to an unfair electoral competition. Prime Minister Davutoglu is also continuing with a carefully-planned campaign, in which his speeches generally start after or before Erdogan’s, in order to ensure that Turkish TV networks broadcast both of them, according to the opposition.