How Türkiye’s elections are viewed in the earthquake zone – DW – 10/05/2023

On February 6, a strong earthquake struck large areas in southern Türkiye and northern Syria. According to official figures, more than 50,000 people have lost their lives in Turkey alone. About three months after the disaster, many people still don’t have a place to stay. The water and electricity supply networks have not yet been restored everywhere. However, local residents are welcome to vote.

Kahramanmaras: Erdogan is always in the lead!

The city of Kahramanmaras in southeastern Turkey, which was the epicenter of the February earthquake, is a major stronghold of the AKP. In the 2018 presidential election, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received 74% of the vote there. It is unlikely that the incumbent will see support diminish on May 14 due to the earthquake.

Kahramanmaraş, badly damaged by earthquakes, still faces a host of problems. Photo: Ahmet Deeb/dpa/Photo Alliance

“Our leader Erdogan always leads the way,” said Fatma Topaktas, a florist, adding that she sees absolutely nothing to resent. She had to sleep in her car for four days after the earthquake but did not lack food or medicine, and said Erdogan took immediate action after the earthquake. “Everyone helped. Who sent all this food? Thanks to our president, we are where we are today,” said Tobactas.

An elderly retired man, who asked not to be named, said the earthquake would not hurt Erdogan’s chances of victory. On the contrary, he said he was sure that Erdogan would win again in Kahramanmaraş. “The earthquake made it stronger because our ministers, deputies and Erdogan himself took care of us, they are working around the clock to help us, they have mobilized everything they have to this end,” said pensioner Kahramanmaras.

They are wary of cooperating with the Kurds

Across Turkey, opposition is on the rise — but not in Kahramanmaras. Erdogan’s biggest rival, the head of the Republican People’s Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, has entered into strategic cooperation with the Kurdish parties, a move that people in particular do not agree with. Many Kurdish voters support the joint opposition candidate of six political parties. Even Selahattin Demirtas, a prominent Kurdish politician who has been languishing in prison for years, urged the Kurds to vote for the head of the Republican People’s Party.

Many people in Kahramanmaras are still staying in tents

“People expressed some criticism of Erdogan before the earthquake, but the fact that Kilicdaroglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) joins the Kurdish party broke the hearts of our people,” said Osman Pertiz, who runs a nut shop in the city He said that this is why many are backing Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party again. People also don’t like Kilicdaroglu’s plans, if he wins the presidency, to make sure that political prisoners are released.

Help: Too little, too late

Slowly, life in Kahramanmaras seems to be returning to normal. Shops are open and downtown is crowded. “We could use more hygiene products, but the situation has improved a bit,” said Serap Acıkgöz. A resident of Kahramanmaras added that medical care is still irregular because the hospital collapsed in the earthquake and has not been rebuilt.

Hikmet Sincin frustrated with the Turkish government. Photo: Ethem Tosun/DW

In the areas hardest hit by the earthquake, many people said that the aid was too little, and it arrived too late. It seems that this was not the case in Kahramanmaraş. “Believe me, a lot of help came here after the earthquake,” said a local resident who did not want to be named. “Some say people are feeling hopeless because of government failures, but that is simply not true.”

Hatay: disappointment, anger, frustration

The situation is very different in Hatay, a city close to the Syrian border. There, many people criticized the government, saying that some cities – not including Hatay – were given priority when it came to aid deliveries.

The city center feels deserted: streets have been cleared, but demolition of many badly damaged buildings has yet to begin. Construction vehicles on the streets were few and far between. Many state-owned construction machinery are employed elsewhere.

Our home is gone, our life is gone, Gulcan Durur says. Image: Ethem Tosun/DW

Hatay has 1.62 million registered voters, but with the exception of a few election posters scattered around the city, the upcoming elections don’t seem to be playing a role. Hikmet Sencin, head of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said about 700,000 people left Hatay after the quake. But, he added, many people want to return to voting. Many schools that were normally used as polling stations have been damaged, so polling booths will be set up in the schoolyards.

‘We don’t want to hear about the elections’

Few people in Hatay even remember the elections, as they focus on their struggle under difficult living conditions. Many in Hatay still lack clean water, clothes and hygiene items.

Nurse Gülkan Durur, who survived the earthquake with difficulty, could not hide her anger and despair. “It’s hard to breathe here. Our home is gone, our life is gone, our standard of living is gone,” Duror told DW, adding that she didn’t hope to do much to help Hatay after the vote.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Erdogan’s main rival, visited an earthquake-hit area. Photo: Alp Eren Kaya/ANKA

Who knows whether Hatay locals will vote or not, said Gulkan’s husband, Mehmet Durur. “We lost everything – our homes, our families, our streets, our memories, our neighbors,” said Duror, a teacher. He adds, “Election promises come…but we don’t want to hear about elections. While we suffer, everyone only thinks of their own interest.” He said the earthquake had changed his mind about who to vote for, but gave no details.

“We were discriminated against after the earthquake. They left us to die,” said Edip Dahl, who has been living in a tent since the earthquake. “I will not forgive those in power for that.”

Neslihan Odonkwu and her two children have huddled under a tarp since the earthquake struck three months ago. “We haven’t had water for three days. We don’t have electricity or toilets. There are showers now, but we can’t use them yet,” the housewife said. “We also have the right to live! For children especially, this is a disaster – they can’t go to school, they are increasingly falling behind.”

Frustrated, Odoncu said they will vote on Sunday – but under the current circumstances, the elections are not a priority for Hatay residents.

This article was originally written in German.

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