More than 113,000 Syrians immigrants gain right to vote in Turkish elections
May 19, 2022, 7:18 am

More than 113,000 Syrians immigrants gain right to vote in Turkish elections

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A Turkish migration official said on Wednesday (May 18) that more than 113,000 Syrians can now vote in Turkish elections.

A total of 200,950 Syrians were granted Turkish citizenship and 113,654 of them are over the age of 18 and have the right to cast their ballots in Turkey's elections, said Gokce Ok, director of Compliance and Communication of the Migration Administration of Turkey, in a public debate.

Most of Turkey’s estimated six million refugees are from Syria. According to the migration authorities, Turkey hosts the highest number of Syrian refugees in the world.

It hosts roughly 3.7 million registered Syrian refugees under temporary protection status. They have been given this status on the prediction that they will return to their homeland.

As the political and economic cost of hosting the world’s largest refugee population threatens Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's popularity before elections, he announced that the government plans the voluntary return of 1 million Syrians to their homeland.

He said: “We are now preparing a new project that will enable the voluntary return of 1 million Syrian brothers and sisters."

Return of Syrian refugees key topic in Turkish Foreign Minister’s talks in Lebanon

The promise to return almost a quarter of Turkey’s roughly 3.7 million registered Syrian refugees comes as opposition parties attack the government’s immigration policy ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in June next year.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”