This study reveals how President Erdoğan and his party were portrayed in the news programs of German public broadcasters during the 2023 general election campaign in Turkey. Specifically, one month before the elections, the content of news programs concerning the general elections and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) on ARD and ZDF channels were analyzed using content analysis methods. The news was categorized under the themes of news sources and content, visual and content analysis, and language and rhetoric. The analyses indicate that these elections were crucial for the AKP, while emphasizing that opposition leader Kılıçdaroğlu was in a neck-and-neck race with Erdoğan. The news criticized the AKP and its leader Erdoğan for flawed economic policies, poor crisis management during the earthquake, and harsh rhetoric towards the opposition. Conversely, Kılıçdaroğlu was presented in a favourable light, emphasizing his respect for human rights, commitment to democratic and republican values, and his broad base of support. The influence of citizens living in Germany on the election outcomes was also highlighted.
2023 Elections, ARD and ZDF channels, AKP, Erdoğan, Kılıçdaroğlu