EU urges Turkey to address election shortcomings

The European Union (EU) has called on Turkish officials to address the shortcomings highlighted by the findings of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) election observers regarding the May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections. The EU emphasized the importance of equal opportunities and transparency in a recent statement.

Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Olivér Várhelyi, the member of the European Commission responsible for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy, issued a joint statement concerning the presidential elections in Turkey, which proceeded to the second round.

The statement read, "The EU welcomes the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections that took place in Turkey on Sunday, May 14, and the high turnout as a clear sign of the commitment of the Turkish people to exercising their democratic right to vote."

The EU acknowledged the initial findings and conclusions of the International Election Observation Mission conducted by the OSCE and the Council of Europe and urged Turkish authorities to address the identified shortcomings.

Transparent, inclusive, and credible elections on a level playing field are of the utmost importance to the EU.

The EU eagerly awaits the commencement of the newly elected parliament's duties.”

During a press conference held on Monday, the OSCE observers who were involved in the electoral process in Turkey on May 14 criticized the lack of transparency and impartiality. They assessed that the ruling party held a distinct advantage over opposition parties due to limited campaign opportunities, thereby benefiting from an unfair advantage.