Turkey’s presidential election has resulted in a runoff between incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Despite a struggling economy, the disastrous earthquakes in February, and Turkey’s drift toward one-man rule, Erdogan came out with a lead in the first round of voting. Erdogan’s opponents pulled together in an unprecedented coalition of six parties that backed Kilicdaroglu, promising to fix the economy, restore civil liberties and build a more inclusive society. However, Erdogan used his power to tilt the competition in his favor, and his often polarizing rhetoric, as well as his promises to build new homes in the quake zone, likely helped him to maintain a lead. The runoff election will take place on May 28th, and the outcome will determine the future of Turkey’s democracy.
Categories