IOT calls on people to remain calm regarding outcome of election in Turkey

The Stichting Inspraakorgaan Turken in Nederland (IOT) is calling on Dutch-Turkish citizens in the Netherlands on Sunday to "remain calm and keep a cool head regardless of the outcome of the elections." In Turkey, citizens are going to the polls to elect a new parliament and president.

Between 29 April and 7 May, people in the Netherlands with the right to vote in Turkey were able cast their ballots for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey. Last Sunday, according to the RAI, a brawl broke out between several voters at Amsterdam's RAI. Allegedly, there were disagreements between several people.

IOT chairman Zeki Baran earlier this week called the brawls at RAI "absolutely unacceptable" and called for calm. "We live in the Netherlands and we need each other to deal with the problems we face here. Of course there are differences of opinion and different political and religious currents. But we need to work together to help solve the problems in the Netherlands. Respect that other people do not have the same opinion as you!"

The IOT consists of six Turkish-Dutch associations. As an umbrella organization, it has not called on its supporters to vote in the Turkish elections. Baran commented, "Elections take place 3,500 kilometers away. We live here in the Netherlands and do not interfere in the elections in Turkey."

In Turkey, 60,7 million voters will go to the polls on Sunday for the presidential and parliamentary elections. It promises to be a neck-and-neck race between incumbent Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the AK Party and opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the center-left Republican People's Party (CHP).