Youth are key for 2023 elections: Erdoğan

ANKARA

Turkey’s young population will be a key factor in determining the 2023 elections results, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Nov. 16.

“In the 2023 elections, more than 6 million of our young people will vote for the first time, demonstrating political will for their country and their own future. The key to the next election is our youth, not this or that party,” he said speaking at the youth festival.

“Today, I stand before you as someone who has been involved in politics in the youth branches and has fought all his life together with the youth. Throughout my duties as mayor, prime minister, and presidency, I have always been striving to do things that will leave a better future for our youth,” Erdoğan stated.

“I hope you will shape our country’s vision for 2071, the next threshold of human and economic development,” the president noted.

Turkey is a country that sees its greatest strength and advantage in its children and youth, the president said and emphasized that at a time when the populations of Europe, the U.S. and Asia are” rapidly aging,” it is very important that one-third of Turkey’s population consists of children and young people.

“The generation we need is not Generation Z, not Generation Y, but the Teknofest generation,” he said.

The dreams, expectations, thoughts, determinations, and proposals of the young people are of vital importance to his government, he said and added, “We are the party that has youth branches with the highest number of members in Turkey.”

Before the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to the power, only one out of every 10 students who took the university exam could enter higher education, but now there is a quota for every student who take the exam, Erdoğan said.

The government has increased dormitory capacities, Erdoğan added.

The dreams and determinations of the youth are of vital importance to the AKP, he said.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and İYİ (Good) Party could offer nothing more than “denial,” he said.

“We need to prepare very well for 2023. I believe in you,” Erdoğan said.

Turkey has left behind the days of “poverty, oppression, persecution, fights and conflicts,” the president stated.