Turkey, Presidential Election , 10 August 2014: Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions

Report (OSCE/ODIHR – OSCE PA – PACE) 11 August 2014, Ankara                   Türkçe

International Election Observation Mission *

The 10 August presidential election presented Turkish voters with an important opportunity to directly choose their president for the first time. Three candidates, representing different political positions, were generally able to campaign freely. Freedoms of assembly and association were respected. However, the use of official position by the Prime Minister as well as biased media coverage gave him a distinct advantage over the other candidates. Direct debates among candidates would have brought more balance and been an opportunity to further engage in a dialogue on key issues facing Turkey.

* This Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions is the result of a common endeavour involving the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

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