Millions of Turkish voters will fix their attention on Sunday’s televised debate between Istanbul’s two leading mayoral candidates, which will be the first debate of its kind in almost two decades.
The opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) candidate Ekrem Imamoglu and his counterpart from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Binali Yildirim, will be standing before the cameras and hot lights to pitch themselves to Istanbulites in a live debate. The stakes are sky-high. Just like anyone who is following the Istanbul election rerun, I am excited to watch the debate, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. local time.
After two days of intensive talks, Turkey’s two political parties achieved a rare consensus and announced that the two candidates had agreed to appear on TV. The debate will be broadcast on all channels in Turkey. Ismail Kucukkaya, who is a prominent presenter for opposition broadcaster Fox TV, was chosen as moderator. The format of the debate was agreed on ground rules based on “the principle of objectivity,” including “equal speaking time and questions,” the spokespersons of the two parties told the press. Soon after the announcement, Imamoglu tagged his rival in a tweet, saying: “I will be very pleased to discuss all aspects of Istanbul with you on Sunday, June 16 at 21:00 under the moderation of Ismail Kucukkaya. Good luck.”
Social media, particularly Twitter, has played a significant role in shaping the perceptions of Turkish voters in recent years. Keeping this in mind, both candidates have attempted to modify their campaign and rhetoric by boosting their presence on social media in order to appeal to younger voters. This has played an important role in changing Imamoglu’s profile, as he was once unknown to the majority in Turkey, but now he has even been referred as a “rising star” of Turkish politics. In the same vein, Yildirim has appeared to be a more active figure than in his previous election campaign.
Imamoglu had previously proposed a televised debate prior to the March 31 vote, but this did not receive the same enthusiasm from Yildirim. Then, in May, Turkish anchorwoman Didem Arslan Yilmaz invited the two candidates to hold a debate on her TV channel Haberturk.
Despite all their risks and potential outcomes, live TV debates have played and will undoubtedly continue to play a critical role in politics.
Sinem Cengiz
Why is this debate considered to be a milestone in Turkish politics and does it have any chance of influencing who people vote for?
It is important not only because it is the first of its kind in Turkey at any political level since the early 2000s, but also because it is something the Turkish electorate has wanted for a long time. The last time such a TV debate took place, AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and former CHP leader Deniz Baykal had a tit-for-tat confrontation days before the 2002 general election. However, due to the increasing polarization in the country and the change in the political atmosphere in recent years, candidates have avoided appearing in TV debates.
Needless to say, such debates have significant potential for exerting strong influence over Turkey’s political life and in changing both the campaign landscape and voting behavior. They give voters a deeper insight into the candidates’ commitments and vision and, moreover, their personalities. So it is very important to watch both candidates on the same screen a week before the controversial election rerun, which is scheduled to be held on June 23. The previous election was canceled after the AKP and its electoral partner, the Nationalist Movement Party, appealed to the Supreme Election Council, citing irregularities and violations of Turkish election law at polling stations.
Despite all their risks and potential outcomes, live TV debates have played and will undoubtedly continue to play a critical role in politics. Although it is still a matter of curiosity as to how Sunday’s debate will play out, I am very glad to see that the TV debate has returned to Turkish political life. Both the candidates have rolled their sleeves up for the crucial debate and I wish the best to both of them and, more importantly, to Istanbul, my home city. May the best man win.
- Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkey’s relations with the Middle East. Twitter: @SinemCngz
