In spring of 2023, weeks ahead of Turkey's presidential election, a number of US and European media published their coverage on the upcoming vote, slamming President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a dictator and tyrant. On May 3, Soylu said that the US would attempt a presidential coup during the upcoming election in order to finish what was started in July 2016, when a failed attempt to remove Erdogan from office took place, which Soylu also blamed on the US. The minister also accused the US of being behind the military coups in Turkiye in 1960 and 1971.
"The plan by the US intensifies actively. The reason of Western media's interference is the realization of the US's plan," Soylu stated.
According to Soylu, the West has infiltrated Turkiye's political system since 1960.
"Tayyip Erdogan has eliminated all these Western intrusions. Now, the West started to push its vision [on Turkiye]. With our victory in the 2023 election, a hundred-year stability will begin. They see it. There is no election a US ambassador would not like to control... They say, Turkiye's geopolitical priorities do not meet [Western] interests... Turkiye did not accept the US's mandate. They have been trying to take revenge for it for 104 years. Everyone is aware of it," Soylu added.
Turkiye's presidential and parliamentary elections are set to take place on May 14. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, put forward by a six-party opposition alliance, is considered Erdogan's main opponent. The list of presidential candidates also includes Muharrem Ince of the Homeland Party and Sinan Ogan of the ATA Alliance. Results of pre-election polls have not yet revealed a clear favorite in the upcoming election. The second round of the election, which will take place if no candidate gains 50% of votes, is scheduled for May 28.