Political Speech on Democracy and Governance

I may not agree with

your argument, your thesis.

I do not expect you

to agree with my thesis anyway.

Nor do I have such a desire.

But I respect that.

However, I have to state a fact.

And it is this: I am

a leader who went to prison for reciting a poem.

And

I went in for four months, served time

and got out. After that, we founded our party

and won the election. And for eight and a half years,

now, with the great favor of my people,

we have been in power.

The people make the best assessment of this.

Since my people make this assessment this way, well,

it means there is a subtle point here.

The ten percent threshold was not set

by my party.

We, too, came in with the ten percent threshold.

That threshold already existed when we came,

and 16 months later, we came to power.

We founded our party. We did. Then, 16 months later, we came to

power.

This demonstrates a reality. That is, in such a short time

how did such a party, despite the ten percent threshold,

come to power in Turkey?

My dear friends, we

did not remain on the left wing, the right wing,

or at the extremes.

We pursued centrist politics in Turkey

and embraced all

our people, Turks, Kurds, Laz people,

Circassians, Georgians, Abkhazians, Roma, all of them.

We embraced them all.

But look, right now in France, I see Roma people

being deported from there, being expelled.

Is this democracy?

In France right now, personal freedom

of belief, for example, is not respected, we see.

Is this freedom of belief?

Those who endeavor to judge Turkey on these points

should first take a look at themselves.

They should first evaluate themselves,

and then judge us.

Lowering the ten percent threshold or

Not lowering it is a matter related to democracy

It isn't. At present, Europe also has an eight percent threshold

too,

and a seven percent threshold. It is possible.

But for our country's stability,

for its security,

we have decided to continue such a measure.

This also resonates with our people.

Because before us,

in periods of single-party governments, Turkey's standards always

rose, while in periods of coalition governments,

periods of decline always began.

We are currently on the rise.

We do not want to cause our country new troubles.

And when the time comes, if this threshold needs to be lowered a little

we will again discuss it with our people.

But we will not ask you about it.

We will discuss it with our people, and decide it with our people.

If our people tell us to lower it, we will.

If our people tell us to continue like this, we will continue like this.

The one who will make the decision is 74

million-strong Turkey.

Therefore, I ask that you please assess it in this regard.

Because we did not get where we are today easily.

We paid a heavy price for this. We do not want to pay further prices.

And Turkey is achieving the most advanced democracy.

It is also continuing its struggle to become an exemplary country.

As for parties, we have parties. As for elections, elections in the broadest sense

exist. No party is banned here.

Whoever wishes can establish a party whenever and however they wish,

and run in elections as they wish. But we are not

an ethnic party,

nor are we a regional party. We are present throughout

our country. We appeal to all the people of our country.

And in this way, we continue

our struggle entirely within

these criteria. I address you—