What happened in the May 14, 1950 elections to which Erdogan refers?

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently delivered a wonderful speech in which he announced that the 2023 elections will be held on May 14th. Thus, the most authoritative person answered the question “when the elections will take place”, the answer to which millions of citizens have been waiting for a long time. However, there were other points that attracted attention in Erdogan’s speech. Erdogan explains the 2023 election date by referring to the 1950 elections, and the Democratic Party (DP) opposed the Republican People’s Party, which has been in power for 27 years. He wanted votes from voters with a slogan. Okay, but why? Why was Erdogan referring to the 1950 elections in his speech when he announced the date of the 2023 elections; Why did he lead millions of voters on a nostalgic journey through the political life of Turkey, why did he start elections many years ago under the slogan of the opposition, although he himself has long been in power? Let’s take a short digression into the political history of Turkey, let’s see what happened on May 14, 1950…

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the leader of the AKP in power for 20 years, announced the elections in 2023 with the words: “Enough, the word belongs to the nation!” explained by the slogan

Erdogan said in his speech:On May 14, 1950, the late Menderes entered the hearts of the nation, saying “Enough is the word of the nation”, and walked out of the ballot box with a landslide victory…” he said.

In other words, May 14, which was set as the date for the 2023 election, was not an ordinary date. However, given the position of Erdogan and the AKP in the political arena, the date of May 14, 1950 is enough, the word belongs to the nation! There was a serious contrast between the slogan. In other words, Erdogan was saying that the voters would say “enough” to the parties that had been “in opposition” for years and bring the current AKP back to power! So what happened on May 14, 1950?

The 1940s witnessed significant changes in the social and political life of Turkey.

The Republican People’s Party, long in power at the time, was the most dominant center of power in the social and public sphere. For this reason, he was accused of building an “authoritarian” regime. However II. The devastating effects of World War II were felt both in Turkey and throughout the world. Turkey was going through an extremely difficult period from an economic, social and cultural point of view. During such a period, as always, the greatest desire in society was “change!”

The desire for change in society was embodied in the political arena called the “Democratic Party”.

Founded on January 7, 1946, the party, not surprisingly, was met with great enthusiasm throughout the country. Aware of the rise of the Democratic Party, the Republican People’s Party, in a sense, did not want the newly formed party to gain strength, so in 1946 it decided to hold a “dominant election”. Of course, the Republican People’s Party won the vote. However, the need for change in society continued to grow … By May 14, 1950, not only in Turkey, but throughout the world, a rare political event took place.

The May 14, 1950 elections marked an important turning point in Turkish political life.

The Democratic Party, which is the most important symbol of the demand for change in society in the political arena, succeeded in putting an end to the 27-year-old Republican People’s Party in the elections of May 14, 1950, in which it participated with limited means. In the May 14 elections, also considered Turkey’s first democratic elections, the nation had its say and brought the political party, founded just four years ago, to power with an overwhelming majority.

The pre-election period before the May 14, 1950 elections was not easy for the Democratic Party.

The government, fortunately, existed only in the political situation of many years ago, used the state apparatus at its disposal in election campaigns and tried to narrow the political space of the opposition as much as possible. For this reason, the Democratic Party had no choice but to make propaganda as effective as possible, despite limited opportunities during the campaign period. Ultimately, the Democratic Party managed to find the most useful propaganda idea it needed. A very simple poster, an extremely effective slogan…

“Enough, the word belongs to the nation!” The slogan was one of the most important elements that brought the Democratic Party to power.

On the other hand, with a hand making a stop sign: “Enough, the word belongs to the nation!” The printed poster has become one of the most important symbols in the political history of the country, which contains very important clues about the political life of Turkey many years ago.

The history of the origin of the slogan is quite interesting. Selçuk Milar, who was invited by a neighbor to one of the Democratic Party’s propaganda commissions, says that a hand making a stop sign and the words “Enough of the word of the nation” would be enough, and he is designing a poster that will become one of them. unforgettable symbols of Turkey on the political arena overnight. This iconic design is known as “the poster that brought the DP to power”… Well, can the slogan that brought the DP, the voice of the opposition, to power in the face of an oppressive regime, economic crisis and poverty in the 1950s, defeat the AKP, which is the voice of power, in 2023?

According to some political analysts, Erdogan will come out on May 14 and that’s enough, the word belongs to the nation! With his slogan, he wants to say: “We are the continuation of DP.”

Because May 14 and the slogan associated with it have a great symbolic meaning, especially for a certain electorate. In an interview with BBC Turkish, professor at Bogazici University. Dr. Farooq Birtek argues that the May 14 date is almost sacred to Democrats and claims that AKP members come from this wing and states that they intend to capitalize on May 14’s symbolic power.

However, according to Birtek, there is a big controversy, such as “AKP members are not democrats.” However, Birtek states that “Erdogan’s repetition of this slogan could cause problems during the election period” and that the statement could have been made without knowing it.

Professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations, Bahcesehir University. Dr. Yilmaz Esmer also said that May 14 is enough for Erdogan, the word belongs to the nation!” from those who find it difficult to get out

Brunette’s opinion on this matter “It seems to me that there is some problem in what they say to me:“ Enough is the word of the nation. 27 years later, the slogan “Enough” against the CHP is very significant for 1949-50. But especially if a party that has been in power for more than 20 years says this: “Who says what is enough for what?” can be said. But I assume that they will immediately abandon this slogan.he expresses.

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