On Aug. 10, Turkey will go to the polls to choose its first “people’s president.” That is, for the first time in the history of the Turkish Republic, the president will be elected by popular vote. Unlike general or municipal elections, this election presents an opportunity for “direct representation”; that is, all votes cast anywhere will have the same weight, and all candidates will receive the exact number of votes cast for them only.
In general elections with a 10% threshold — the minimum vote required to secure representation — millions of votes cast for small parties that don't pass the threshold are essentially redistributed among the big winners. This process has magnified the vote and seat share of big winners in the Turkish parliament. In addition, in this election, for the first time diaspora Turks will be able to cast votes. These three factors make the upcoming election or elections (should the vote go to a second round) even more interesting to watch.
