In anticipation of the second round of the presidential elections in Turkey, a group of intellectuals, artists and politicians have come together under the campaign “Vote and let this darkness end” with a press conference at Istanbul’s Taksim Hill Hotel on Wednesday.
A petition, signed by 581 prominent individuals, including intellectuals, writers, politicians, and artists, was presented by actress Jülide Kural.
After the joint press release, the vice president of the Alevi Bektashi Federation, İbrahim Karakaya, took to the floor. “We face a darkness imposed by the One-Man regime. This election holds immense significance not only for us but for all peoples of Turkey, including Kurds and Armenians. The government is increasingly embracing a fascist and nationalist stance,” said the representative of minority groups in Turkey.
Author Nurcan Baysal appealed to non-voters, reminding them of why they should cast their ballots. “We must vote for the marginalised, for those crushed under the weight of disastrous economic policies, and for the preservation of our natural environment. Our hope for the future hinges on our votes,” the writer said.
Artist Eşber Yağmurdereli emphasised the threat posed to the right to life, asserting, “We cannot afford to step back. We will triumph in our pursuit of democracy and freedom, armed with a new narrative. This struggle did not begin just now.”
Historian and journalist Erdoğan Aydın drew attention to the current state of Turkey. “Never before has Turkey been so divided, so corrupted, so unjust,” he said, adding, “Let us not miss this opportunity to effect change through our votes. We thwarted it in the first round; let us remove it definitively in the second.”
