Every evening news channels are broadcasting election campaign news of the leaders. Every day the leaders' performances are measured and explained. There are workers who apply to work for the Electoral Commission who facilitates the voting process.  The staffs' political identities are not asked and questioned.

Voters can cast their vote in the ballot boxes, which have been opened in advance, three weeks before the election. If the voter is abroad, on holiday, sick or elderly, they can use their vote by post. If the election day is not in their residing electorate, he / she can vote for his / her own region in the closest voting place.

Nobody asks for an identity when he goes to vote on election day. Only that day, he asks if he has voted in another ballot box. The declaration is essential. No one attempts to vote more than once. In elections, the ruling and the opposition make the budget statements. All income and expenses and promises are written here. It is examined by the independent company that provides independent financial advisory services in the announced budgets.

Against each ministry, the opposition has a shadow cabinet minister. They speak to promote their policies and also to question the Governments policies. In the elections, they make a public session in front of the people in different electoral districts. In the campaign period, investments such as roads, bridges and dams type are not considered. Issues such as social assistance, education, health, tax reduction and environmental are on the agenda. Here, preferential voting is used. If you are casting your vote, depending on the number of candidates, you number one, two, three and so on. If your first preferred candidate is not selected, your vote goes to the second choice. If s/he isn't elected, it will go to the next one, and your vote will be directed to the last 2 candidates left.

The elected politicians reside in their state. The Electorate Offices are not in the capital but in the electoral districts. They go to the capital city for a parliamentary sessions. They are given the travel and the accommodation allowances. The Mayor have no security guards or drivers. Parliamentary restaurants are operated by private companies. Wages are the same everywhere. Individual candidates, not parties, compete in municipal elections. The municipal elections are held every four years. The elected councillors elect a Mayor for one year. Only a few Councils elect the mayor of the city directly by the electors. The mayor is almost symbolic. I refer to the elections here and compare it with the political environment in Turkey. We feel sad. Why is my country still looking like a middle east country? What a pity.

Fatih Yargı

Austraila / Yeni Asya

Yeni Asya English