Electoral fraud is a concern during elections: Ogan to Al Mayadeen

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During an exclusive interview with Sinan Ogan, the far-right ATA Alliance's presidential candidate, he expressed concerns to Al Mayadeen English about potential electoral fraud during the upcoming elections, citing issues like voter registration and security. He revealed that he has requested meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as his electoral rivals, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the opposition Nation Alliance and Muharrem Ince of the Homeland Party.

Ogan's concerns regarding election security were a focal point, with several critical issues, such as a significant increase in the number of voters by two million, and the presence of non-Turkish citizens on voter lists. He cited the surge of voters in Doha, stating, "None of them speak Turkish, as they are foreign citizens." Furthermore, Ogan expressed apprehension about the lack of information available on naturalized voters from countries like Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The candidate raised another concern about the three million individuals who were displaced due to the recent devastating earthquakes, out of whom 130,000 have registered to vote. He questioned what will happen to the remaining displaced individuals and whether someone else will vote in their place, while highlighting the importance of finding solutions to these issues and ensuring the security of the elections.

#Exclusive | Far-right ATA Alliance nominee Sinan #Ogan says during an exclusive interview for #AlMayadeen that fraud could take place during the #TurkishElections and that the opposition parties are concerned about the security of the election.@LeaAAkil pic.twitter.com/PNKzlB4JwS

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 4, 2023

When questioned about his previous remarks criticizing the economic policies of the incumbent ruling party, he emphasized that his concerns stem from President Erdogan's belief that interest rates are the primary driver of inflation. Elaborating on this point, he argued that he does not share this view and doesn't see interest rates as the cause of the country's inflation.

To tackle the economic crisis, Ogan proposed a policy that centers around the integration of Turkey into the global economic system. He believes that by promoting transparency and fairness and building trust with foreign investors, “they will be more willing to invest in Turkey, boosting the country's economy."

Another vision involves Ogan's plans to make Turkey a technological investment hub with a strong emphasis on blockchain technology. He stated, "We will give great importance to blockchain technology and aim to make Turkey an economic hub in this field." The candidate concluded that by increasing production, exports, and confidence in the economy, the trade balance could significantly improve. 

Far-right ATA Alliance candidate Sinan Ogan criticizes, the current Turkish ruling party’s economic policies and offers new solutions to the crises affecting Turkey.@LeaAAkil pic.twitter.com/tacIXkxoZ7

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 4, 2023

In response to a question related to his nationalist background and nationalism in Turkey, the far-right candidate asserts that nationalism is a growing phenomenon in Turkey and around the globe. However, he emphasizes that the form of nationalism embraced by his party is not exclusionary, and that their concept of nationalism does not entail the marginalization or discrimination of certain groups. He takes care to clarify that their brand of nationalism is not associated with the ideologies of fascism or racism.

Ogan added that the "main reason for the youth's interest in us in Turkey is due to the rising sense of nationalism among the Turkish youth, as there is a wide wave of nationalism spreading throughout society. But I would like to emphasize that this nationalism is unique to Turkey because it does not exclude others.”

Far-right ATA Alliance nominee Sinan Ogan tells Al Mayadeen that nationalism is on the rise around the globe but in #Turkey, it is not exclusionary.@LeaAAkil pic.twitter.com/IDzbkAVNhC

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 4, 2023

The far-right candidate, who announced his candidacy for the Turkish presidency in March 2023, is confident he will make it to the second round after announcing that recent surveys record that his voter count has exceeded 10%, confident to hit 12-16% in the coming week. 

Prior to his nomination for the 2023 Turkish presidential elections, Sinan Ogan was elected as an Igdir deputy from the Nationalist Movement Party in the 2011 Turkish general elections, earning a seat in parliament. However, he was expelled from the party in 2015, only to later return after winning a lawsuit. In 2017, Ogan and three other MHP deputies were once again expelled from the party.