OUR Turk student Yunus Efe met only one leader in his country – his Tayyip Erdogan. As he prepares to vote for the first time on elections This month, the 22-year-old says it’s time for a change.

Efe is one of at least six million voters who are expected to vote for the first time in the May 14 elections. Since they make up about 10% of the electorate, their votes could be decisive in deciding whether Erdogan’s rule continues into a third decade or ends.

Efe, who was a baby when Erdoğan came to power in 2003, said he would vote for opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, which he believes will strengthen the rule of law, human rights and freedom of expression, which his critics say suffered under Erdogan.

We are “used to” without freedom of expression

“I’m definitely concerned about freedom of speech. In fact, I live it every day, but we don’t realize it because we’re used to living it this way,” said Efe, who said he would think twice before liking or sharing posts on social media.

A 2022 report by Human Rights Watch reported that in Turkey, thousands of people have been arrested or prosecuted for posting on social media, accusations of defamation, insulting the president, or spreading terrorist propaganda.

Ankara says its measures are necessary to combat the spread of disinformation in the media and on the Internet.

Efe said he was indifferent to elections and politics, “like many young people”, but now he is excited by the vote and attracted by the promises of Kilicdaroglu and his Republican People’s Party (CHP), one of the six parties that have united against Erdogan.

“I believe rights and justice can be restored,” Efe told Reuters from downtown Istanbul.

This shows the challenge Erdoğan and his Islamist-backed AKP face as they try to garner support for presidential and parliamentary elections as their popularity has been hurt by the rising cost of living and soaring inflation.

Believing that this is their best chance to topple Erdogan, his opponents are promising to reverse many of his signature policies, such as abolishing the all-powerful presidential system, which critics see as a symbol of his insistence on gaining even more power. .

“Angry and without hope”

Erdogan’s share of young people and first-time voters is predicted to be lower than other age groups, said Erman Bakirchi of research firm Konda Arastirma.

Describing some of the 85 million Turks who make up the young voters as “very angry and hopeless,” Bakirci said they will be critical to the outcome because they make up such a large bloc.

“They see on the Internet and social networks what their peers in Europe are doing and what opportunities they have,” Bakirci said. “They see that the gap between them is widening… They lack social, economic and legal security. They want to get out of this situation.”

Erdogan defended the youth in his campaign, criticizing them for not appreciating the growth of the economy in his day, recalling how difficult times were before AK came to power.

Erdogan, whose first years in power were marked by an economic boom, traditionally enjoys the support of conservative voters in the Islamic hinterlands of Anatolia.

According to a poll conducted by Konda last year, 57% of new voters described themselves as modern, 32% as traditional voters, and the rest said they would describe themselves as religious conservatives.

“I want the current government to continue”

Emre Orgün, 22, who works in the IT department of a textile company in Istanbul, said he would vote for Erdogan because he doesn’t believe the opposition can run Turkey as well as the veteran leader.

“Of course, I want the current government to continue working. We want them to continue some changes in some officials and politicians,” Orgun said. He added that his main problem is high prices and job opportunities.

But a colleague who works for the same company in Istanbul said he would vote for Kılıçdaroğlu.

Beriwan, as she said she was called, said she was forced to give up her dream of becoming a lawyer due to financial constraints. Criticizing the state of the education system and the economy, he said you need friends in the right places to get anywhere.

“I believe that young people have the ability to make a difference. I think a lot of young people feel the same way. Education and the economy are in a very bad state,” said Berivan from the company’s sewing department.

“This situation can be changed by a person whom young people want to trust,” Berivan said. “We only have one chance for a candidate and we have to trust him.”

^{Source: APE-MEB, Reuters}