There were once-reliable institutions in Turkey, and everyone would take pride in those institutions even if he or she would never need help or services of them throughout his or her life.
The Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) was one of those institutions.
Each time we were on our way to the ballot box on an election day, we would know for sure that our vote would be treated as a precious public asset, and not even a single vote would be allowed to be wasted. We would never think otherwise.
For my part, when I was together with foreign colleagues who felt the need for talking to me before or after an election, I always responded to those inquiring and somewhat doubtful questions of them starting with the phrase “I wonder. . .” with the same firm answer without slightest hesitation: “This is Turkey, and neither any election deceit would ever be attempted here, nor would such an attempt ever be permitted.“
Just because of this unshakable belief I had, I had been taken aback when AK Party appealed to the Electoral Council for annulment of the mayoral election in Istanbul, and I had thought that those arguments in the appeal would not have been found worth for a serious consideration, thus, the Council would have dismissed the appeal without dwelling on it.
Not only did I think so, but I also shared my view regarding the appeal for annulment with my readers through several pieces on these pages until YSK announced its decision after a weeks-long period: “YSK, composed of senior jurists who have reached the highest position in their public service, would not take a decision in favor of re-run of the election.“