In a runoff election with Erdogan, Turkey's opposition faces an uphill struggle.

May 15, 2023



(cnn)

A hushed silence fell over the crowd outside the Istanbul headquarters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) party, as his vote had dropped below the 50% threshold needed to clinch the first round of Sunday’s historic election. A six-party coalition had coalesced to end Erdogan’s 20-year rule, campaigning on a platform of change, restoring democratic institutions eroded by the strongman’s tenure and jumpstarting the flailing economy. Most Turkish polls had predicted a knife-edge lead for the main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, but this was not the case. A six-party coalition had coalesced to end Erdogan’s 20-year rule, campaigning on a platform of change, restoring democratic institutions eroded by the strongman’s tenure and jumpstarting the flailing economy. This was unprecedented in Turkey, as most Turkish polls had predicted a knife-edge lead for the main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

The election results in Turkey have exposed the opposition's limited ability to seize on the disgruntlement of a populace reeling from an economic crisis and a devastating earthquake. In the end, Erdogan secured a five-point lead over his principal opponent, destinating them to a run-off vote. The third candidate, Sinan Ogan, was left with a potentially decisive 5% of the vote. The new kingmaker has conditioned his endorsement of either candidate on hardened policies towards refugees and some Kurdish groups he perceives as terrorists. Analysts predict that Ogan's ultranationalist followers will be more likely to vote for Erdogan in the next round. Erdogan's ruling party has also emerged from Sunday's election with the largest parliamentary bloc, leaving the opposition facing an uphill struggle to win the runoff.

Recep-tayyip-erdogan’s Turkey Erdogan

Comments

Related news


Erdogan approves the Nordic country's NATO membership

Read more

Turkey rescuers report noises beneath the debris.

Read more

America arms Taiwan despite China opposition

Read more

Turkey pledges a major oil announcement

Read more

Erdogan increases civil officials' salary significantly.

Read more

Turkey-Syria earthquakes are powerful.

Read more

More than 4,300 dead in Turkey and Syria after earthquake.

Read more

A huge earthquake in southeast Turkey near the Syrian border killed over 100 people and trapped many more.

Read more

In a runoff election with Erdogan, Turkey's opposition faces an uphill struggle.

Read more

As penguins in Antarctica struggle with record-low sea ice, one species is adapting - and it has lessons for us all.

Read more