MHP Gains Momentum Towards Elections
MHP’s Vote Rate Drops in Turkey Elections 2021
In the latest Turkish elections, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) saw a decrease in their vote rate. Their 2018 vote rate of 11.20% was updated to 10.45%. Despite this, the MHP surprised many who had predicted that they would fall below the 7% threshold. The MHP consolidated its presence in the provinces of Konya, Aksaray, Niğde, Nevşehir, Kayseri, and Yozgat, also known as the “Seljuk Crescent”, while they increased their votes by 5 points in Tokat.
However, the MHP faced a significant loss in Iğdır, where they had 24% of the vote and one deputy in 2018. Their votes dropped below 10%, a first for the MHP in Iğdır since 2002 elections, with the party receiving only 4% of the vote. The AK (Justice and Development) Party took their place in Iğdır and managed to appoint a deputy.
MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli reacted strongly to survey companies during a recent party meeting. He criticized them as ‘rent’ and spoke out against those who have resigned from their party. Bahçeli showed confidence and said the real account will be settled at the ballot box in May 2023. The MHP leader also emphasized the support the party received from tens of thousands of people in Amasya and said that they had only just gotten started.
Even with the drop in votes, MHP received enough to be eligible for state funding and have 49 representatives in parliament. The party has historically been a part of the Parliament’s People’s Alliance platform, which includes President Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP.
