The great day of the Turkish elections has arrived and the world is watching the electoral battle for the conquest of the presidential seat. But who will manage to win the trust of the approximately 64 million Turks who are called to decide on their future in the next five years?

The international spotlight is on the neighborhood and the nearly 200,000 polling stations in Turkey’s 973 districts. The battle between the two main contenders for the presidential seat will be tough and every vote has its own value. In an exclusive interview with SKAI and Korina Georgiouthe famous presenter of the Turkish network TGRT and author, Ferhat Unlu, describes the atmosphere in Turkey, the key issues that will determine the vote of citizens and the role of social media in modern Turkey.

K.G.: According to most international media, these elections are more than just a change of government. The Economist called it the most important election of 2023. What is different in this presidential battle and what is the atmosphere in Turkey?

Ferhat Unlu: We haven’t seen this kind of competition in about 25 years, maybe longer. The difference between the two is very marginal and the competition very strong, a very interesting battle. There is the party that has been in power for almost 22 years and is still going strong. Of course, because of the earthquakes and the undeniable economic crisis, there are big problems. But at the same time, Turkey has a very strong policy outside the country. Perhaps this is the most important electoral contest of the last 100 years. That is why the climate is so exciting and that is why the international press, such as the Economist, Der Spiegel and the rest of the media, are trying to say something about the elections, but the Turkish citizens will have the final say with the vote their.

K.G.: In Greece, where the elections come a week after the Turkish ones, we are experiencing a new era of political communication using social networks. Instagram and Tik Tok are becoming the new weapons for political leaders. So social media play an active role in shaping citizens’ opinion in Turkey. Do they have the power to influence the vote of citizens? We know that Turkey does not have the best reputation for freedom of expression.

Ferhat Unlu: Of course, social media is very important in some cases. A total of five generations will vote in this election. I believe that social media is really effective for “Generation Z” and younger generations in general. But I don’t think the result will be significantly affected by them, maybe by 5% or 10%, if we are talking about Tik Tok. And Twitter of course has a lot of power.

K.G.: According to the latest polls, Turkey’s united opposition poses an unprecedented challenge to Erdogan’s rule. What are citizens talking about in Turkey? What is their biggest concern?

Ferhat Unlu: Of course the economy is one of the most important parameters of the elections and the vote, but at the same time what will play a role are the security concerns and the security policy inside Turkey and outside the country.