Local electionsshortly before Supreme Electoral Council(YSK) decision determining the procedures and principles for the election Official newspaper’It was published and entered into force.
Freedom and duration of propaganda and procedures and principles to be followed
According to the YSK Decision published in the Official Gazette, the freedom and duration of election propaganda and the procedures and principles to be followed are as follows:
“Between January 1, 2024, which is the start date of the Election Calendar, and March 30, 2024; it will be prohibited to carry out collective verbal propaganda during election time on public roads, temples, buildings and facilities providing public services, and in squares other than those to be designated by district election boards.
The rally areas within the election area will be determined by the district election boards until Saturday, March 9, 2024, and these areas will be announced to the political parties and independent candidates participating in the election by being announced to the district election boards. Political parties and independent candidates will be required to submit the date and time of the rally areas they want to use in writing to the district election board within two days from the announcement, and the district election boards will need to determine the date and time of the rally areas that political parties and independent candidates will benefit from by Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at the latest.
In open places; From the end of the second hour after sunset until sunrise, collective verbal propaganda and election propaganda and meetings cannot be held around faculties and student dormitories. “The authority to control and supervise election propaganda will be vested in local administrative authorities before March 21, and in district election boards between 23.59 on March 21 and 18.00 on March 30.”
Propaganda to be held in closed places
The procedures and principles of propaganda to be carried out in closed places (January 1 – March 30) are as follows:
“Closed meetings can be held on behalf of political parties and independent candidates participating in the election. Speeches to be made in these meetings can be given outside with loudspeakers until the end of the second hour after sunset. In temples, schools, military facilities such as barracks, headquarters, encampments and other places that are deemed to serve public purposes.” Election propaganda will not be possible. Visual and audio propaganda can be made in election offices in accordance with the provisions of the legislation regarding environmental noise. Election offices will be able to operate publicly from 09.00 to 23.00. Advertisement and announcement materials in the offices will be removed until 18.00 on March 30. and election office activities will have to cease.”
Propaganda in media and internet
Political parties and independent candidates participating in the elections will be able to make verbal, written and visual propaganda through announcements and advertisements in the print media or by opening a website. It will be prohibited to make propaganda by sending written, verbal and video messages to citizens’ e-mail addresses, mobile and fixed numbers.
However, political parties will be able to send written, verbal and video messages to their members. Between 21 March and 30 March at 18:00, it will be prohibited to publish the name of a political party or in favor or against a candidate or in a way that may affect the vote of the citizens through public opinion research and surveys.
Political parties will be able to benefit from municipal loudspeakers for a fee.
From Monday, January 1, 2024, until 18:00 on March 30, when election propaganda ends, it will be free to make propaganda with loudspeakers in open places until the end of the second hour after sunset, provided that it does not disturb the peace and comfort of the public. If political parties wish, they can benefit from the municipal loudspeaker, if available, for a fee, according to the program to be organized by the district election board.
Turkish flag and religious phrases will not be included in flyers and brochures.
Political parties and their candidates participating in the election will be free to distribute all kinds of publications such as brochures, flyers, party flags, posters, banners, CDs and DVDs to promote themselves, from Monday, January 1, 2024 until 18:00 on March 30, 2024. People distributing these materials must be over 18 years of age.
In addition, political parties and independent candidates will be prohibited from distributing gifts and giveaways other than those listed above, or from distributing these materials by intermediating third parties, institutions or organizations.
Political parties and independent candidates can open promotional areas and stands without prior permission, provided that they do not disturb public peace or obstruct vehicle traffic. There will be no Turkish flag or religious phrases in the flyers and brochures to be used for propaganda. Political parties or candidates will be able to use different languages or dialects in addition to Turkish in all kinds of propaganda.
Candidates will be able to benefit from fixed announcements and advertising places belonging to municipalities.
Candidates can benefit from fixed announcement and advertising places used directly by municipalities within the election area and determined by district election boards, in order to hang and paste materials such as posters, party flags, banners or banners to promote themselves, provided that the duration, number and fee are equal.
Audio or video broadcasts for promotional and propaganda purposes cannot be made on fixed digital billboards belonging to central government budget administrations, special budget administrations, special provincial administrations, municipalities and their affiliated departments and institutions, economic state enterprises and the institutions they establish and their partners, and other public legal entities.
All kinds of propaganda will be prohibited in public transport.
As of January 1, 2024, it will be prohibited to make any publications containing propaganda in advertising places and vehicles on air, land, sea and rail system vehicles used in public services for public transportation in or outside the city. Bans will also apply at covered stops allocated to public transportation vehicles and in closed areas where passengers get off.
District election boards will supervise these bans. People who will distribute flyers will need to be competent in selecting them. Central budget administrations, special budget administrations, special provincial administrations, municipalities, their affiliated institutions and partners, and employees working as civil servants and servants in other public legal entities will not be able to distribute advertisements.