Election bans and social media in Turkey: what to watch for

Short answer: in Turkey, the length and limits of election campaigning are set by Law No. 298 and by the decisions the Supreme Election Council (YSK) publishes for each election. In recent elections, sending campaign messages to citizens’ phones and email addresses was banned, campaigning through a website was permitted, publishing polls and forecasts was banned in the ten days before polling day, and the freedom to campaign ended at 18:00 on the day before polling day.

Which rules apply?

For local and general elections, the core legislation is Law No. 298 on the Basic Provisions of Elections and Electoral Registers. The Supreme Election Council (YSK) sets the timetable and the procedures and principles of the campaign period for each election in separate decisions. The rules of one election may therefore not apply unchanged to the next. When planning a campaign, first read the current YSK decision for that election.

Elections in chambers, commodity exchanges, associations and trade unions, on the other hand, are governed by their own legislation; the campaigning provisions of Law No. 298 do not apply directly to them. In these elections, too, rely on the announcements of the chamber or organisation and the opinion of your legal adviser.

When does the campaign period start and end?

In recent elections, the free campaign period and certain election bans began in the ten days before polling day. For the 14 May 2023 elections, this period began on 4 May and ended on Saturday 13 May at 18:00. In the 31 March 2024 local elections, the free campaign period ended on Saturday 30 March at 18:00. Scheduled posts should be checked in advance so that no new campaign content is published after this time.

What is banned in the final ten days?

According to Supreme Election Council decisions reported in the press, the following were prohibited in the ten days before voting day in recent elections:

• Polls, forecasts and ‘mini referendum’ style publications that could favour or harm a party or candidate
• Ministers and MPs using official vehicles on election trips, and official welcomes, ceremonies or banquets being held
• Public officials taking part in election trips of ministers, MPs or candidates

“Poll” posts from a campaign account on social media should also be assessed in this light. Ask your legal adviser before publishing any vote or forecast content on your account.

What does it say about the internet and social media?

The YSK’s campaign decision for the 2023 elections stated that political parties and independent candidates could campaign orally, in writing or with images through printed adverts in Turkey or by setting up a website. The same decision banned sending voice, video or text campaign messages to citizens’ email addresses and landline or mobile phones, while political parties remained free to send messages to their own members. The press reported the same rules for the 2024 local elections.

The decisions do not name social media platforms separately. That does not mean anything goes on social media: the campaign period, restricted hours, the ban on polls and content restrictions should also be taken into account for social media posts. Wherever something is unclear, rely on the current Supreme Election Council decision and your legal adviser’s opinion.

Bulk messages and WhatsApp groups

The ban on sending campaign messages to citizens’ phones directly affects bulk SMS and voice call campaigns. Sending bulk messages to individuals via WhatsApp and similar apps should also be considered in light of this ban. Personal data protection law also restricts the use of phone numbers and email addresses. If the campaign team plans to use phone lists, a legal assessment should be made first.

Flags, religious expressions and public institutions in visuals

The YSK’s 2023 decision asked that the Turkish flag and religious expressions not be used in campaign material, and also banned activities by public institutions and public-benefit associations that could influence voters. Social media visuals and videos are campaign material too. Take extra care with footage shot in public buildings, schools and university campuses; the decision stated that no campaigning may take place on university campuses.

Gifts, giveaways and paid promotion

The decisions restricted the distribution of promotional items and gifts. Running a giveaway or gift campaign on social media is risky under this rule. Paid social media advertising is also subject to the platforms’ own political advertising rules; many platforms require identity verification, a clear statement of who paid for the ad and an ad archive. The advertising plan should follow both the election rules and the platform rules.

Election day

No campaigning takes place on polling day. On that day, the safest course is not to publish new campaign content on campaign accounts, to cancel scheduled posts and not to get into arguments in the comments. Informative content such as polling station and voting information should be prepared in advance, with its publication time set according to the rules.

A practical checklist for the campaign account

• Read the YSK timetable and campaign decision for that election
• Put the start and end times of the campaign period in the calendar
• Check all scheduled posts before the deadline
• Do not share polls, forecasts or votes in the final ten days
• Do not send bulk SMS, emails or messages to citizens
• Check the use of flags and religious expressions in visuals
• Do not run giveaways or gift campaigns
• Follow the platform’s political advertising rules for paid ads
• Ask your legal adviser about any content you are unsure of

We describe how we manage campaign accounts on our election social media management page.

Sources

This information was checked against the sources below on 3 November 2026. Legislation and Supreme Election Council decisions can change with each election; before acting, rely on the current text and your legal adviser’s opinion. This article is not legal advice.

• Supreme Election Council (ysk.gov.tr): election timetables and decisions
• Law No. 298 on the Basic Provisions of Elections and Electoral Registers (mevzuat.gov.tr, in Turkish)
• bianet, 16 March 2023: “YSK, propaganda kurallarını açıkladı” (in Turkish)
• Habertürk: “Propaganda serbestliği ve seçim yasakları başladı” (14 May 2023 elections, in Turkish)
• Sözcü: “Seçime son 10 gün: yasaklar başladı” (31 March 2024 local elections, in Turkish)