2023-05-28 21:33:44
The elections in Türkiyewith 85 million inhabitants and a member of the I’LL TAKEwere closely watched by both Western powers and Middle Eastern countries due to their key geopolitical role.
The president of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoganprevailed this Sunday in the second round of the presidential elections, a result that confirms his permanence in power until 2028 after two decades in command of the country.
“Our nation has entrusted us with the responsibility of running the country for the next five years,” he said. Erdogan69, to supporters from atop a bus in her home district of Istanbul.
The head of the Turkish electoral commission declared him the winner of the elections, although the final results will not be announced until the beginning of the week.
After the count of 99.7% of the votes, according to the official Anadolu agency, Erdoganat the head of the Justice and Development Party (AKP, an Islamoconservative), reached 52.1% of the vote, compared to 47.9% for his rival, the Social Democrat Kemal Kiliçdaroglu.
The results confirm the predictions for this Second roundin which the outgoing president arrived as the favorite, despite the desire for change on the part of the electorate, the galloping inflation and the denunciations of the restrictions of freedoms in a country where there are tens of thousands of imprisoned or exiled opponents.
In the first round held on May 14, Erdogan had already come out on top with 49.5% of the vote compared to 45% for his rival.
For the first time in the history of Türkiyea Second round.
“Every election is a rebirth,” said the conservative Islamist leader, who vowed that “we will keep all the promises made to the people,” before a crowd gathered in Istanbul waving Turkish flags.
His supporters projected two giant images in the economic capital: one of Erdogan and the other of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic.
Spontaneous rallies to celebrate the victory also took place in other cities, especially in the Anatolian region in the center of the country.
The opposition candidate, who chairs the Republican People’s Party (CHP, secular) and brings together a six-party coalition, acknowledged defeat.
“I am deeply saddened by the difficulties that await the country,” he declared from his party headquarters in Ankara.
Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrate their Erdogan victory in Istanbul. | Source: AFP
Key geopolitical role
The elections in Türkiyepopulation 85 million and a member of NATO, were closely watched by both Western powers and Middle Eastern countries due to their key geopolitical role.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Erdogan on his victory, who took an equidistant position in the ukrainian war despite being part of the Atlantic Alliance.
“His victory in these elections is (…) a clear proof of the support of the Turkish people for his efforts to strengthen the sovereignty of the state and pursue an independent foreign policy,” Putin said, according to statements published on the Kremlin’s website.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky also congratulated the AKP leader.
“We look forward to further strengthening the strategic partnership for the good of our countries, as well as strengthening cooperation for the security and stability of Europe,” Zelensky said in a message on Twitter.
The same was done by other European leaders, such as the French president, Emmanuel Macron, or the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, but also Latin Americans, such as the Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro.
a divided country
Erdogan embodies for many Turkish voters the promise of stability, despite the polarization in the country during the campaign.
It is “important to preserve what was acquired in the last twenty years in Türkiye“, under Erdogan’s rule, Mehmet Emin Ayaz, a 64-year-old businessman, said in Ankara.
Even in the areas devastated by the earthquake on February 6, voters massively threw their support to Erdogan, who multiplied his promises on reconstruction.
Instead, Kiliçdaroglu promised to restore democracy, the independence of the judiciary and the press.
The Social Democratic hopeful leads a heterogeneous coalition of parties, ranging from the nationalist right to the liberal center-left, and was backed by the pro-Kurdish HDP party.
This earned him criticism from Erdogan that qualifies the opposition as “terrorist”, due to the support of the pro-Kurdish formation.
In the first round, there were numerous verbal challenges from the opposition, which this time decided to place five observers at each ballot box, a mobilization of one million people.
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