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| 2007 Turkish general election | |
|---|---|
| Election name | 2007 Turkish general election |
| Country | Turkey |
| Type | Parliamentary |
| Previous election | 2002 Turkish general election |
| Previous year | 2002 |
| Next election | 2011 Turkish general election |
| Next year | 2011 |
| Seats for election | 550 seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey |
| Majority seats | 276 |
| Election date | 22 July 2007 |
2007 Turkish general election was a snap parliamentary election held on 22 July 2007 in Turkey following a constitutional crisis and the annulment of the 2007 Turkish presidential election (16 May) by the Constitutional Court of Turkey. The vote determined the composition of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and shaped the balance between the ruling Justice and Development Party and opposition parties including the Republican People's Party, the Nationalist Movement Party, and the Democratic Society Party. High-profile figures such as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Abdullah Gül, Deniz Baykal, and Devlet Bahçeli were central in debates about secularism, EU accession, and the role of the Turkish Armed Forces.
A political crisis erupted after the 2007 Turkish presidential election (2007) when the Turkish Grand National Assembly failed to elect Abdullah Gül amid mass protests in Ankara and demonstrations at Taksim Square. The Constitutional Court of Turkey annulled the earlier ballot, prompting early parliamentary elections. The crisis featured tensions among AKP, CHP, MHP, and the DTP, with interventions by the Constitutional Court of Turkey, the Supreme Election Council (YSK), and public institutions such as the Turkish Armed Forces and the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey. International actors including the European Union, NATO, and the United States Department of State monitored the situation amid debates over EU accession and reforms under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's premiership.
Members were elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey by proportional representation in multi-member electoral districts corresponding to provinces using the D'Hondt method with a national 10% electoral threshold established by the Constitution of Turkey. The threshold affected parties like the Democratic Society Party and smaller alliances, influencing strategic decisions by the Republican People's Party, Nationalist Movement Party, True Path Party (DYP), and others. Overseas voting for Turkish citizens in Germany, France, Netherlands, and other countries was organized under rules governed by the Supreme Election Council (YSK) and legislation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
The main parties contesting included the AKP led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the CHP led by Deniz Baykal, the MHP led by Devlet Bahçeli, and the People's Democracy Party successor DTP led by Ahmet Türk. Other participants included the Great Union Party (BBP), the True Path Party (DYP), the Motherland Party (ANAP), and smaller groupings. Campaign issues spanned debates over secularism framed by references to the Kemalist ideology of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, concerns about secularists in the Turkish Armed Forces, European Union reforms, economic policy tied to the Turkish lira and the International Monetary Fund, and accusations concerning corruption and media freedom involving outlets such as Hürriyet and Milliyet. The AKP emphasized stability and EU accession while opposition parties highlighted secularist credentials and national unity, with rallies in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Diyarbakir.
Polls conducted by firms such as KONDA, Metropoll, Piar Research, and Gezici showed fluctuating support for the AKP, the CHP, and the MHP, with regional variations in Kurdish majority provinces like Hakkâri and Şırnak where the DTP polled strongly. Pollsters referenced turnout projections, undecided voters, and the impact of the 10% threshold, with international observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the European Union assessing the polling environment.
The AKP won a parliamentary majority, gaining a substantial share of the 550 seats, while the CHP and the MHP took secondary positions. The DTP passed the national threshold in some coalition-adaptive ways and secured representation from southeastern provinces. The outcome altered the seat distribution in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and affected ministries and committee assignments. Voter turnout was high compared to previous cycles, with significant diaspora participation from Germany, Belgium, France, and United Kingdom communities.
Following the election, coalition discussions were brief as the AKP moved to form a single-party government under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who later pursued the presidential ambitions that culminated in reforms. The new parliament addressed priorities including constitutional reform, continued European Union negotiation chapters, and changes to civil-military relations involving the Turkish Armed Forces and the National Security Council (Turkey). Opposition leaders Deniz Baykal and Devlet Bahçeli reorganized party strategies, and figures such as Abdullah Gül transitioned to the Presidency of Turkey following his earlier contested election.
Analysts from institutions like Chatham House, Brookings Institution, International Crisis Group, and Freedom House debated the election's implications for democratization in Turkey, the trajectory of EU accession negotiations, and the balance between secularist and conservative forces embodied by the Kemalist ideology and political Islam represented by the AKP. Scholarship examined effects on civil liberties, judicial independence involving the Constitutional Court of Turkey, and the evolution of party competition with long-term consequences observed by researchers at Bilkent University, Koç University, Middle East Technical University, and Istanbul University. The 2007 result influenced subsequent elections, constitutional amendments, and Turkey's domestic and international policy orientation.
Category:General elections in Turkey Category:2007 elections