'Only Remnants of Democracy Left in Turkey’

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After the Supreme Election Council (YSK) cancelled the Metropolitan Mayorship Elections and ruled for repeat elections in İstanbul yesterday (May 6), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ankara MP and legist Filiz Keresecioğlu has spoken to bianet about the ruling of the YSK.

CLICK - Supreme Election Council Cancels İstanbul Local Elections

Underlining that the decision to hold repeat local elections in İstanbul is just a repetition of what was done after the Parliamentary Elections on June 7, 2015, Kerestecioğlu has referred to the elections on November 1, 2015:

"Right after the elections, our MPs, co-mayors were arrested, trustees were appointed. In that period, all these pointed to the fact that there was a coup which was not a military one. Now, they say, 'We don't like İstanbul elections, let's repeat them.' What happens today is, in fact, a coup by the YSK."

'Only remnants of democracy left in Turkey'

Stating that only the remnants of democracy have been left in Turkey, Filiz Kerestecioğlu has said, "Elections were one of these remnants, now, they are collecting them with their hands."

Referring to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its voter base, Kerestecioğlu has continued as follows:

"In the meanwhile, they are losing. In fact, they also lost with the alliance of democracy forces on March 31. They lost with their reaction to the elimination of people's freedom to express their opinions and hold meetings and demonstrations. They lost with the direction the economy has taken.

"They were going downward and downward and it does not seem very likely for them to prevent this from now on."

'They are trying to create a perception that doesn't even hold in their voter base'

Regarding the cancellation of elections "due to the unlawfulness in forming the balloting committees," Kerestecioğlu has stated the following:

"Who believes it in Turkey? The ones who founded and opened Bank Asya together, the ones who appointed directors of the bank to civil service, the ones who followed the same path with them imprisoned the people who deposited money into the bank. With what they are saying, the government has brought the things to such a point that it is now as if it was the opposition which staged the coup of the FETÖ, as they call it.

"If there is something, then all balloting committees across the country have to be looked at. There is unlawfulness in İstanbul, in Metropolitan Municipality, but not in the districts? Who would believe it in Turkey?

"What was done was completely an operation to create a perception; what the AKP has been doing in the last years was to try to run the country with perception since it also has the press in its hands.

"But, I think that it has also hit the bottom there. They are trying to create a perception that does not even hold in its own voter base. It will not hold from now on, either. This country has a history of democracy. We will definitely achieve it and today is one of the turning points in that regard."

'Turkey sees that what is done in Kurdish regions can also be done in the west'

Stating that the AKP has been on the losing side for a long time, she has underlined that the AKP has lost its legitimacy with the decision of the YSK:

"In other words, the legitimacy of the AKP in elections has been lost for good. The way leading to the elections has never been just or equal for us. Now, Turkey has seen that what is done in Kurdish regions can also be done in İstanbul and in the west." (HA/SD)