Yıl:2019   Cilt: 9   Sayı: 1   Alan:

  1. Anasayfa
  2. Makale Listesi
  3. ID: 253

Eda TUTAK

Analysis of the Democratic Development of a Country in the Context of Voter Turnout: 2007-2018 General Parliamentary Elections: The Case of Turkey

The democracy concept that is based on the idea that the administration is determined by the people is also the source of legitimacy of the state administration. Elections are an indispensable element of democracy in countries governed with democracy, and the electorate are one of the key actors in the decision-making mechanisms of the government. The participation of voters in political life via their votes in elections, and via the representatives they elect is an indication that the democratic participation function is fulfilled. For this reason, low voter turnout rates in elections that are held in countries with democracy might be interpreted as a democratic problem. If the reason for the existence of democracy is the human factor, the voter turnout is one of the indicators for democratic development in a country. High voter turnout means that the citizens of that specific country approve the administration that will be created by the representatives they elect, adopt the regime and that the election results are legitimate. In the present study, which examined the general parliamentary elections that were held in Turkey between the years 2007 and 2018 in terms of the voter turnout rates, it was determined that the Turkish electorate were interested in general elections and that the voter turnout rates did not fall below 84.24%. This rate has followed an increasing trend among elections, and has become a settled culture that established a positive connection between high voter turnout rates and democratic development.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Democracy, Democratic Development, General Elections, Voter Turnout, Turkey


Analysis of the Democratic Development of a Country in the Context of Voter Turnout: 2007-2018 General Parliamentary Elections: The Case of Turkey

The democracy concept that is based on the idea that the administration is determined by the people is also the source of legitimacy of the state administration. Elections are an indispensable element of democracy in countries governed with democracy, and the electorate are one of the key actors in the decision-making mechanisms of the government. The participation of voters in political life via their votes in elections, and via the representatives they elect is an indication that the democratic participation function is fulfilled. For this reason, low voter turnout rates in elections that are held in countries with democracy might be interpreted as a democratic problem. If the reason for the existence of democracy is the human factor, the voter turnout is one of the indicators for democratic development in a country. High voter turnout means that the citizens of that specific country approve the administration that will be created by the representatives they elect, adopt the regime and that the election results are legitimate. In the present study, which examined the general parliamentary elections that were held in Turkey between the years 2007 and 2018 in terms of the voter turnout rates, it was determined that the Turkish electorate were interested in general elections and that the voter turnout rates did not fall below 84.24%. This rate has followed an increasing trend among elections, and has become a settled culture that established a positive connection between high voter turnout rates and democratic development.

Keywords: Democracy, Democratic Development, General Elections, Voter Turnout, Turkey


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