14 May 2023, Istanbul, Türkiye - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the Parliamentary and Presidential elections in Türkiye.

The delegation was composed by delegates from Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, and representatives of the PAM Secretariat.

On 13 May, the first day of the mission, the PAM delegation met with Mr. Yahya Gülşen, Director of the Istanbul Office of the Supreme Election Council, who briefed delegates about the Turkish electoral system, and provided them with information about the preparations of polling stations, the candidates’ nomination process, the procedures to be respected during the Election Day, and the settlement of possible disputes and appeals.

On 14 May, the Election Day, PAM delegation was split in two teams, which visited numerous voting stations all around Istanbul, both in the European and Asian side of the city. According to PAM delegates, the voting procedures were conducted regularly, with openness and discipline of both voters and staff of the election committees.

36 political parties run in the Parliamentary elections. Among them, the People’s Alliance, which includes the ruling AKP party, won 322 out of 600 seats in the Grand Nation Assembly.

As result of the Presidential elections, no candidate for the Presidency managed to obtain more than 50% of the total votes required to be elected, and the run-off will be held on 28 May 2023. The PAM team will return to Istanbul on that occasion.

PAM delegates wish to thank the electoral authorities of Türkiye for granting them the necessary permission to be a part of the election process, as well as the Turkish Parliament, for the kind assistance.

PAM wishes also to express its appreciation to other State institutions, political parties and civil society organizations representatives, for their cooperation.//