The relationship between religion and political tendencies (Elâzığ sample)

Despite religious and political institutions influence individual and public life various ways, shared aims of two institutions is to gain power above people. Religion and political institutions whose sociological realities cannot be disputed possess power on societal and individual life. One of the important disagreement and discussion topics where power struggle is held is religion and politics relations. The basis of this disagreement is generated by the influence of politics and religion on society. Religious, which is the fact that impacts voting behavior, resulted from utilization of religion as an argument by political parties. A relation between religion and politics and correspondingly utilization of religion as a political instrument has been one of important debate among the political circumstances where power struggle occurs. These ongoing debates for a long time at different levels were resulted from utilization of religion as an argument by political parties, in tandem with a fact that religion has influence on voters' voting behavior. Within the framework of regulating the relations between governing and governed, religion has different influence in the all areas where traditionalism and modernization is in conflict, which rekindles this debate a little more each day. With emergence of new formation revealed by new structure which was constituted with establishment of republic, religion has been one of the continuous subjects that is either objected or assimilated among the relationship religion-state, opposition-power. With the life of the multi-party, besides a topic of debate, religion has taken its place as an institution that indicates appearance or image of political parties. With this process, although religion has been seen by some political camps as a reaction and anti-secular constituent, some political fraction has seen religion as a society's yeast and the most valuable thing. Voters also have been supportive or critics for religious arguments political parties manifested when voters choose and act. Religion as one of the prominent factors that form political identity of voters has also an important role in identifying politics of political parties. This influence is also one of determinant of individual's political choices. Uncovering this power of religious institution is significance of current study. Political struggle shaping in the triangle of voter, candidate and leader has never been independent. Religious belonging also brings formation of voter and identity of political parties as well. Investigating impacts of religion in the voter behavior and politics of political parties constitutes aim of the research. With the targeted aim, it was examined the impacts of religious on voting behavior of voters in the sample of city of Elazığ, taking account the religious politics political parties presented. Study that was implemented by employing method of field research, data was collected by utilizing face to face questionnaire technique. Result of the study recognized that individuals has tendency to see political leader as religious leader. It was seen that individuals who feel religious belonging has not been independent in their choices related to the political party and candidate. Moreover, it was found out that religious discourses candidates presented was effective on voters' voting behavior, apart from party politics and leaders' religious discourse