,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #ddi  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,june #ai1 #bjai,mr4
 ,keating 7for himself and ,mr4 ,wilson 
of ,south ,carolina7 submitted the      
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs 
,,resolution  ,expressing support for a 
genuinely democratic repeat mayoral     
election in ,istanbul1 ,turkey4         
,whereas1 on ,march #ca1 #bjai1 the     
,republic of ,turkey held local         
elections across each of its #ha        
provinces2 ,whereas this local election 
cycle included the election of #cj      
metropolitan and #a1cea district        
municipal mayors as well as #a1bea      
provincial and #bj1ejj municipal        
councilors2 ,whereas more than          
#eg1jjj1jjj ,turkish citizens were      
registered to vote and turnout was high 
with just under #he percent of          
registered voters casting their vote2   
,whereas this election was the first to 
be held since the country transitioned  

from a parliamentary to a ,presidential 
system2 ,whereas following the release  
of electoral results indicating a       
victory by a candidate from the         
opposition ,republican ,people's ,party1
 the ruling ,justice and ,development   
,party 7,,akp7 alleged that electoral   
irregularities invalidated the results  
of the election2 ,whereas1 on ,may #g1  
#bjai1 the ,turkish ,supreme ,election  
,council announced its decision to      
invalidate the results of the ,istanbul 
mayoral election1 citing irregularities 
in the administration of the polling    
stations1 even though the results of the
 ,istanbul district and provincial      
council elections1 which the ,,akp won1 
will stand2 ,whereas a repeat election  
for ,istanbul mayor has been called for 
,june #bc1 #bjai2 ,whereas these        
developments contributed to a perception
 that the invalidation was politically  
motivated2 and ,whereas such            
perceptions1 regardless of their        
accuracy1 can erode public confidence in

 electoral institutions3 ,now1          
therefore1 be it  ,that the ,house of   
,representatives recognizes that-- 7#a7 
the peaceful change of government       
through legitimate elections is a       
hallmark of democracy2  7#b7 the ,united
 ,states national security benefits from
 alliances with strong1 resilient       
democracies2  7#c7 to restore confidence
 in democratic electoral institutions1  
,turkey's government1 political1 and    
electoral leaders should make every     
effort to ensure that the conduct of the
 ,june #bc repeat election complies with
 ,turkish law and meets or exceeds      
,turkey's commitments as a participating
 state of the ,organization for         
,security and ,cooperation in ,europe   
7,,osce7 and international standards for
 a fair1 transparent1 and competitive   
process2  7#d7 to enhance confidence and
 transparency1 credible1 nonpartisan    
,turkish and international observers    
should be invited and supported to      
monitor electoral processes2 and  7#e7  

in keeping with mutual ,,osce           
commitments1 the ,united ,states should 
continue to support the strengthening of
 democracy and human rights in ,turkey1 
including elections that inspire public 
trust and reflect the will of voters4