# 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot > 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot is an image-macro meme from 2014 featuring an edited Turkish ballot with President Erdoğan on the left and an absurd alternative on the right, the checkmark placed on the latter to express widespread voter disapproval. The 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot is an exploitable meme format built around an edited Turkish election ballot. The left side of the ballot shows incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while the right side features an absurd or random alternative, with the checkmark placed on the alternative. The format, which dates back to at least 2014, expresses the idea that voters would pick literally anything over Erdoğan, and it spread widely in 2021 ahead of Turkey's 2023 presidential election[3]. ## Origin The earliest known version appeared on Twitter in 2014, posted by the account @FannibalTurkey. That version used a slightly different layout than later iterations and showed voters selecting Hannibal Lecter over Erdoğan and the other candidates on the ballot. It picked up 23 likes and 10 retweets over the course of roughly eight years[3]. The meme's political context traces back to Erdoğan's consolidation of power. After winning the presidency in 2014, he survived a coup attempt in July 2016 and responded with massive purges, removing thousands from government positions and jailing opponents[1]. A 2017 constitutional referendum narrowly approved the shift to a presidential system, and by the 2018 elections, the transition was complete[2]. For opposition-minded internet users, the ballot format became a way to channel their frustration into humor[3]. - **Platform:** Twitter - **Creator:** @FannibalTurkey (earliest known version) - **Date:** 2014 ## Overview The meme takes the format of an official Turkish presidential election ballot. On the left, Erdoğan's name and photo appear as a candidate option. On the right, the meme creator inserts whatever they want: a chimpanzee, a bag of chips, a fictional character, or just the phrase "I don't even care anymore." The checkmark always goes to the right side, making the joke that any conceivable alternative beats the longtime Turkish leader[3]. The format works as political satire rooted in frustration with Erdoğan's long grip on power. He first became Prime Minister in 2003, then shifted to the presidency in 2014, and pushed through constitutional reforms in 2017-2018 that expanded presidential powers and abolished the prime minister's post entirely[1]. For critics both inside and outside Turkey, the ballot meme became a shorthand for exhaustion with a political system that seemed to offer fewer and fewer real choices[3]. ## How It Spread The meme hit its widest circulation in 2021, three years after the presidential system took full effect and two years before the next scheduled election. On April 7, 2021, the Facebook page Kemalist Memes posted a version where voters selected a chimpanzee named Greg over Erdoğan. It earned 12 likes over the following year[3]. The format really took off on May 14, 2021, when the opposition-aligned press outlet @solcugazette posted a version with the text "I don't even care anymore" checked on the right side. That post pulled in over 6,448 likes within a year and generated hundreds of replies, many containing new variations of the meme[3]. On October 24, 2021, Twitter user @tyfnozdl posted a version showing a voter choosing a bag of chips over Erdoğan. It earned nearly 10,000 likes and over 400 retweets in two years, making it one of the most popular single examples of the format[3]. As the actual 2023 election approached, the meme gained renewed relevance. The general election was held on May 14, 2023, with Erdoğan facing challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu[2]. International election monitors noted restrictions on freedoms of assembly, association, and expression during the campaign, along with state media heavily favoring Erdoğan's AK Party[2]. A 2023 study published in PLOS One flagged the election as "riddled with statistical irregularities, that may be indicative of electoral fraud"[2]. Erdoğan narrowly missed a first-round majority and won the runoff on May 28[1]. ## How to Use The format typically follows a simple structure: 1. Start with the Turkish ballot template, showing Erdoğan's name and photo on the left side. 2. Replace the right side candidate with something absurd, random, or obviously unqualified (a fictional character, an animal, an inanimate object, or a vague sentiment). 3. Place the checkmark on the right side. ## Cultural Impact The meme sits at the intersection of internet humor and genuine political dissent. Turkey under Erdoğan saw increasing restrictions on social media. During the 2023 election campaign, authorities made threats to throttle social media platforms and arrested people for posting criticisms online[2]. In that environment, the ballot meme functioned as a relatively safe form of protest: absurdist enough to avoid direct confrontation, but pointed enough that the message was clear. The format also reflects a broader pattern in meme culture where citizens of countries with dominant leaders use humor to express dissatisfaction when direct political speech carries risk. The ballot template gave Turkish internet users and diaspora communities a shared visual language for opposition sentiment[3]. Erdoğan's own relationship with digital platforms added another layer. He famously used social media to mobilize supporters during the 2016 coup attempt, rallying civilians via FaceTime and Twitter to resist the military takeover[1]. The ballot meme turned that same digital space into a venue for mockery of his rule. ## Fun Facts - The earliest known version of the meme predates the 2017 constitutional referendum that formally expanded Erdoğan's powers, showing that online opposition humor was already well-established before his biggest power grabs[3]. - The May 14, 2021 @solcugazette post date coincidentally matched the exact date of the 2023 presidential election two years later[3][2]. - Erdoğan was originally barred from office after a 1998 conviction for inciting religious hatred, stemming from a poem he recited comparing mosques to barracks and minarets to bayonets. A constitutional amendment in 2002 cleared the way for his return to politics[1]. - Turkey's 2023 election was the first to feature four presidential candidates on the ballot, with positions determined by a drawing conducted by the Supreme Electoral Council on April 1[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot meme? It's an exploitable image format using a Turkish election ballot where Erdoğan appears on the left and a humorous alternative appears on the right, with the checkmark always selecting the alternative[3]. ### Where did the 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot meme come from? The earliest known version was posted on Twitter in 2014 by the account @FannibalTurkey, featuring Hannibal Lecter as the preferred candidate over Erdoğan[3]. ### What does the 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot meme mean? The meme expresses the idea that people would vote for literally anything rather than Erdoğan, commenting on frustration with his long hold on power and the perceived lack of real political alternatives in Turkey[3]. ### How do you use the 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot meme? Take the ballot template with Erdoğan on the left, replace the right-side candidate with something absurd or random, and place the checkmark on your replacement. The more ridiculous the alternative, the funnier the meme[3]. ### Is the 2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot meme still popular? The meme peaked in 2021 and saw renewed interest around the May 2023 election. With Erdoğan winning the 2023 runoff[1], the format still circulates among opposition communities but at lower volume than its 2021 peak. ### Why is Erdoğan the target of this meme? Erdoğan has held power in Turkey since 2003, first as Prime Minister and then as President. He pushed through constitutional changes that expanded presidential authority and abolished the prime minister's post[1], drawing criticism from those who view his rule as increasingly authoritarian[2]. ### What was the most popular version of the meme? The October 2021 version by @tyfnozdl, featuring a bag of chips as the alternative candidate, earned nearly 10,000 likes and over 400 retweets, making it one of the highest-engagement examples[3]. ### Did Erdoğan win the 2023 election? Yes. Erdoğan narrowly missed a first-round majority on May 14, 2023, and won the runoff election against challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on May 28[1][2]. ### Were there concerns about the 2023 Turkish election? Election monitors criticized restrictions on assembly, association, and expression. State media heavily favored Erdoğan's party, and a PLOS One study found statistical irregularities that may indicate electoral fraud[2]. ### Is this meme only popular in Turkey? No. The format spread among both Turkish citizens and diaspora communities internationally, particularly on Twitter and Facebook, where opposition-aligned accounts shared variations in Turkish and English[3]. ## References 1. [Recep Tayyip Erdogan | President, Protests, Religion, & Facts | Britannica]() 2. [2023 Turkish Presidential Election Ballot - Know Your Meme]() 3. [2016 United States presidential election]() 4. [2023 Turkish general election]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/2023-turkish-presidential-election-ballot Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library