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Ömer Faruk Akbulut & Edanur Duran
helping to remove the limitations in the questionnaires and to get in-depth knowledge
on a specific topic (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2003). Semi-structured calls are between the
two extremes, not as rigid as fully configured calls, nor as unstructured as unstruc-
tured calls. The semi-structured interview technique was used because the research-
er needs this flexibility.
Results
On the basis of confidentiality, the views of the participants are given by their nick-
names, without giving their real names. In this part of the study, the answers given to
the questions in the interview form are addressed.
General Opinions on Lowering the Age of Candidacy to 18
Opinions on lowering the age of candidacy to 18 in the direction of the responses
were classified as positive, negative, and biased attitudes.
Positive Views on Lowering the Age of Candidacy to 18
Thirty-nine of the participants have a positive opinion on the lowering of the age of
candidacy to 18. Nineteen from Ahi Evran University and twenty from Ankara Yıldırım
Beyazıt University have a positive opinion on the lowering of the age of candidacy to
18.
Ahi Evran University’s “Faruk” alleged his opinion as follows:
“Our nation has advanced with the power it has acquired from its history and has
shaped the future. The youngsters of the Turkish states from Central Asia to Anatolia
have taken part in the administration and written the history. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
the founder of the Republic, has given great importance to young people. Now, our
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives great importance to young people and ex-
presses that future is in the hands of young people. In the July 15 Coup Attempt that
we experienced last year young people are at the forefront and sacrificed their lives for
this country. I would also think that with the participation of young people in politics,
it will gain an active role and become dynamic. I consider this change as an in-place
and correct step.”
A participant named “Seyyah” from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University stated his
views as follows:
‘’ In many fields in our country the nature of Turkish youth as a responsible actor is
accepted by our society. It is not true that the Turkish Youth, which is the front-line in
