RE: FROM ISTANBUL - Erdogan Wins Turkey's Executive Presidency Outright Despite Objections
I think it is very important to question the results! Did all the other candidates got to represent their party in the media as they wanted? Was there a freedom of speech during the campaigns or just in general since Erdogan is gaining power more and more? Many more questions remained "unanswered". Friends of mine from Izmir do not believe the results at all and do not believe this was a fair election. So I think staying in the middle without a clear opinion is a way of self censure. I cannot say that it is bad, but I want to point out that I think it is sad that people are scared about giving critics. And filming your video on Taxim with all the AKP followers behind you is, in my opinion, sort of misleading. In that way that there is no representation of the possible majority that actually did not want Erdogan to be their new president.
First of all, thank you for watching my report! This is an election night report. I believe it is sloppy journalism to immediately jump to a conclusion that an election is a fraud, particularly in this case where there were genuine choices and campaigns and the frontrunner is extremely popular among a large segment of the population. Many of the issues you raised are addressed in an article I wrote that was published yesterday. I encourage you to read it to get answers - from my vantage point - to some of your questions.
Was there fair representation of all the candidates in the Turkish media? Of course not. Has there been a crackdown on freedom of speech in recent years in Turkey? Definitely. I have spoken with plenty of people who believe there was election rigging going on. Please read my piece. I discuss several of the questions I have regarding the legitimacy of the vote.
Regarding self censorship, it is indeed an issue. However, are you in Turkey and practicing journalism there? If not, you have some nerve to call out those who are for not teeing off on the president. It is risky business, as evidenced by all of the journalists in jail.
Regarding Taksim, it's effectively the main square of Istanbul. If there is action, it will most likely be there. It's a very sensible place to be on election night as a journalist. There could have been anti-erdogan protests there, as there have been in the past. There were not on election night. As for the significance of his supporters celebrating the way they did at Taksim, once again, please read my article.
I think you can see I very much question the legitimacy of the vote count. Erdogan definitely had "unfair" advantages. Maybe there was some serious voter fraud too. I can't tell you for sure about that. Nonetheless, having traveled across the country, I can tell you Erdogan is immensely popular across a large section of Anatolia. Izmir is not representative of Turkey as a whole. Even in a "fair" runoff with Ince, Erdogan might very well win.