How one popular soap opera called… “Cranberry Sherbet” suddenly became one of the hottest talking points before the critical elections on Sunday in Turkey; asks Politico.

It’s all about the show’s female lead, Nursema, whose shocking hardships she faces in her life prompt viewers to ask themselves a tough question: Who would she vote for? The answers given are not the best for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking to extend his 20-year rule in elections.

Nursema is a strong, intelligent and devout Muslim woman in the series, and millions of Turkish women can easily identify with her. Legions of Turkish soap opera addicts were taken by surprise by a violent plot twist in which she marries an abusive husband from her conservative family. He tries to rape her, and nearly kills her by pushing her out the window when she resists.

In early April, the Turkish Broadcasting Board reacted harshly to the sad story, fining the show’s creators and temporarily banning it from airing, which was lifted this week. The official version was that the authorities had to intervene to prevent the “depiction of violence against women”, but not a few say that the Turkish government was disturbed by the critical attitude towards the life of a religious family in which women cannot to articulate an independent voice.

This is not a little for Erdogan, an Islamic populist. The support of loyal conservative Muslim women was crucial to his rise to power. For many women, he has been a liberator, because their life choices had previously been limited by secular governments, barring them from schools, universities, public spaces and workplaces if they wore headscarves.

In theory, many Turks believe that Erdogan should be able to count on “Nursema’s vote”. But it’s not that simple, and the themes covered in the drama touch on some of the most sensitive social and political issues in the country.

Some of the very women who helped propel Erdogan to power now harbor doubts – on issues ranging from economic mismanagement to women’s rights. Domestic violence is a particularly sensitive issue. The problem for Erdogan politically is that he has been abandoned by former allies, and had to ally with increasingly radical Islamists for this election, raising fears that Ankara could roll back protections against domestic violence. And this is where Nursema’s adventurous life becomes a strongly political issue. The series was the subject of panels, discussions and articles, and even gave rise to a banner slogan for International Women’s Day on March 8.

However, Erdogan could also prove to be an important factor in getting these women to vote Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) for one last time. Sonmez, who spoke to Politico, said that thanks to Erdogan, conservative women have gained a position they do not want to lose, and this may inspire a sense of loyalty to the AKP. Young women who are suspicious of Erdogan’s alliance with the Islamist New Prosperity Party and the Kurdish Islamist HÜDA-PAR, an offshoot of a violent group known as Kurdish Hezbollah, known for criminal activities such as torture and murder. The New Welfare Party displays the names and photos of male candidates on its campaign bus — but a female candidate appears only as a dark silhouette. These two parties seek to bring a more Islamic way of life to Turkey, criminalize adultery, get rid of laws that punish violence against women, and change civil code laws governing the marriage age for young girls.

As for “Cranberry Sherbet,” the line remains deeply popular. Her success lies in the fact that many conservative women see themselves as Nursema, whose aspirations and dreams clash with established conservative family values. Eichel told Politico that the show has a lot of hidden messages, and that upset some conservative families. “These people they see female freedom as insolence. But a woman must stand on her own two feet. Women should be strong like Nursema. I love the strong women in the show. A lot of women do it.”