The election campaign continues to be dominated by a lack of level playing field and media bias. On polling day, there were cases of violence against the opposition.
The second round of presidential elections in Turkey was calm and competitive, but not without problems – media bias and continued restrictions on freedom of speech created an uneven playing field and contributed to an unfair advantage of the incumbent. This was stated in the statement of international observers, distributed on May 29 by the OSCE.
It was noted that both sides used provocative and discriminatory rhetoric, accusing each other of collaborating with terrorist organizations. However, intimidation and harassment continued to be used against supporters of some opposition parties.
On the eve of the second round, trials and arrests of journalists and bloggers continued, further restricting freedom of speech. At the same time, observers noted that many broadcasters failed to comply with the legal obligation of impartial coverage of the campaign and equal opportunities for the two presidential candidates.
Election day, they said, was largely peaceful, but there were sporadic incidents of violence mainly aimed at opposition supporters. There were also recorded cases of violation of the day of silence.
“The second round of presidential elections determined a clear winner. However, at the same time it took place in an environment that largely did not provide the right conditions for holding democratic elections,” said Frank Schwabe , head of the PACE delegation.
The election was observed by 232 representatives from 31 countries, including experts from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and PACE.
Remember, on May 28, the second round of presidential elections was held in Turkey, where the current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won.
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.