What Do People in Konya and Kayseri Think about Re-election?

Our first stop to put out feelers for November 1 elections is Konya.

Konya

In June 7 elections, Justice and Development Party (AKP) gained 11 deputies with 65.45 percent of the votes, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) gained two deputies with 16.42 percent, and People's Republican Party gained one deputy with 9.74 percent.

We asked about people's opinion in Konya, Prime Minister and AKP Leader Ahmet Davutoğlu's hometown, regarding the forthcoming elections.

The people underline the importance of political and economical stability, thus want a government to be formed. They see war taking place in Turkey's east and southeast regions as one of the biggest obstacles before stability. Even though representatives of political parties other than AKP complain there's oppression on them, people are mostly content with AKP policies and municipality works.

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We are speaking with AKP's MP candidate Ahmet Sorgun. Even though he says they will exert themselves to the utmost, his body language reveals how confident he is. "People want stability, and they see AKP as the one to achieve it", says Sorgun.

There is another Konya MP candidate saying, "It is true that people seek stability, though AKP is not the right address for that". The candidate is Hüsnü Bozkurt from CHP. Bozkurt claims November 1 snap election is to be held because of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is the former head of AKP.

Bozkurt adds during AKP governorship, serious mistakes have been done regarding Syrian policy, Kurdish question, and the new government must be formed by including CHP to solve these issues.

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MHP MP candidate Mehmet Sait Gönen shares results of a survey conducted in October. The results suggest 84.7 percent of the people find AKP's Syrian policies problematic, 76.5 percent oppose resolution process, 72.6 percent are of the opinion that economy is not going well.

Kayseri

In June 7 elections, AKP gained five deputies while MHP gained three and CHP gained one.

People in Kayseri are very tense and worried about political atmosphere in Turkey. They also highlight the importance of economic stability, yet blame AKP for their policies as to Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and resolution process. AKP doesn't seem to lose its influence in Kayseri, people say AKP has done important services in the city though they believe economy is in regression.

We first met Yusuf Halaçoğlu, MHP MP candidate, Halaçoğlu believes they will increase their number of deputies in the snap election. We ask him about the criticism that MHP has an uncompromising approach in terms of forming a government and evade responsibility.

Halaçoğlu disagreeing with the criticism says "We have stood by our principles to form a government. We explain to people that AKP was unwilling to form a permanent government but only sought a short-term government to lead until snap elections".

CHP's MP candidate Çetin Arık sees his party as an alternative for Kayseri people. Arık believes "people in Kayseri want peace and stability and CHP's approach corresponds to people's needs".

Arık adds that people voted MHP regrets their decision now as "they are aware that MHP's every act works for AKP, thus the only alternative left is CHP".

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Sultan Özcan is happy with what she sees. "We worked as a party for the first time in Kayseri for June 7 elections and gained 18,000 votes. This is a huge success".

"We go from house to house, avoid to do anything that may rise the tension. We talk people face to face, till now, we have never been rejected to talk. Sometimes we join weddings, and dance halay. In previous election we received votes from AKP, CHP, and MHP voters, we will do it again". (HK/TK)

Click the links below to read the article in Turkish

http://bianet.org/bianet/toplum/168702-konya-da-secmenler-hukumet-kurulsun-huzur-olsun-istiyor

http://bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/168737-akp-nin-konya-da-oy-kaybi-neyi-gosterir

http://bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/168670-kayseri-de-9-bilinmeyenli-secim

http://bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/168704-kayseri-de-secimin-havasi-yok-gerginligi-var