TURKEY ANALYSES March 2019 DEMOCRACY DISCOURCE AT ARENAS OF ELECTION An Analysis on the Leader’s Speeches and Key Texts for the Presidential Election of June, 24 PROF. DR. ÜLKÜ DOĞANAY ƒ ƒ The snap parliamentary election and presidential election held on June 24, 2018 are particularly important because they were the final steps towards abolition of the parliamentary system in Turkey which had been in practice since 1908. The referendum dated April 16, 2017 amended 18 different articles of the Constitution and introduced significant constitu­tional regulations establishing“the Turkish type of presidential system” as it is named by the government. ƒ ƒ While the opponent parties considered elections as an opportunity of revitalizing the“NO block” after the lost refe­rendum and a mean for re-construction of parliamentary system; the AKP and MHP joined under the“People’s Alliance” saw the election as the final step of transition to the“strong government” which has been strongly desired by the right­wing political tradition of Turkey for 45 years throughout the eras of Erbakan, Turkeş and Özal. Both sides argued that if they won the elections, democracy of Turkey would get stronger. ƒ ƒ his research showed that, both the ways in which the leaders use the concept of democracy and the basic values, prin­ciples, rights and freedoms they associate with this concept, were shaped through specific promises in a framework closely related with the electoral agenda. In that context, it has been identified that Erdoğan, in order to consolidate his supporters and persuade indecisive voters, aimed at producing a sense of“us” associated with historical, religious bounds and common national values and categorizing his rivals in a sense of“them” defined as enemies and pushed out of political arena, throughout his whole campaign. It has also been observed that Erdoğan’s antagonistic discourse had a determinative effect on speeches of other candidates, mainly on Muharrem İnce’s