2023-06-15 07:19:39
in Turkey Two weeks have passed since the results of the presidential election. Tayyip Erdogan, who ruled Turkey for 20 years as Prime Minister and then as President, has been the topic of discussion all over the world even after the re-election of Turkey’s President.
It ranges from the US President’s phone call congratulating Erdogan to the high-level meeting Erdogan convened yesterday in the Turkish capital to discuss Sweden’s bid for NATO membership.
The confusion of the western world whether to evaluate Erdoğan as a conservative or a progressive thinker, as a religious person or otherwise is not over.
The day after winning the presidential election, Erdogan held a large procession in the city of Istanbul, Turkey. There is something special about that day. It was also the anniversary of the conquest of the same city by Muhammad II, the Ottoman Sultan of Turkey, 570 years ago.
It can also be seen as Erdogan’s message to the West (the Turkish conquest of Istanbul and Constantinople in 1453 shook the West and led to the fall of the Roman Empire).
But the prominence given to Westerners in the new cabinet is seen by many as a sign of Erdogan’s changing times as a practical politician.
∙ Nationality is the 19th level
This was the most eventful, dramatic and strategic election in Turkey in two decades. The country had rampant inflation, a weakening economy and soaring inflation. Yet voters chose Erdogan over an ideologically disparate opposition to ensure continuity and stability.
Until the end of the first round of voting on May 14, political observers predicted Erdogan’s downfall. Erdogan’s popularity plummeted to 30 percent following the earthquake that rocked the country in February. But in the first round of elections on May 14, he got 49.5 percent of the votes. In the final round, popular votes increased to 52.15 percent.
According to the constitution, to be declared the winner, at least one vote must be more than 50 percent. None of the four candidates could win it in the first round. That is why there was a rematch between Erdoğan (People’s Alliance) and Kamal Kılıç Darulu (National Alliance formed by the united opposition parties) who came in first place.
Most of Turkey’s political observers conclude that Erdogan has been helped by the unabashed support of the National Alliance by Western governments and media. In fact, Erdogan had difficulty reaching voters.
When people asked him about the country’s economic situation and inflation, he had no answer. But with the West openly supporting the opposition, things have become easier for Erdogan. Pointing out that foreign powers were interfering in the country’s internal affairs, he was able to ignite nationalism among the people.
He touched the self-esteem of the Turkish people. People were asked to teach the West a lesson. Many who had been waiting to teach Erdogan a lesson were thus inspired by patriotism. US President Joe Biden severely criticized Erdogan in an interview in the New York Times in 2020.
Biden said that he will give all the help to the opposition in Turkey to oust Erdogan. Erdogan constantly reminded voters of that interview in his election campaign. Asked to respond to the US president’s challenge (oddly enough, Biden was among the world leaders who congratulated Erdogan after the election results).
Terrorism and division of the country were also used by Erdoğan in his campaign. He also mentioned in his campaigns the armed insurgency by Kurdish groups in the southern region of the country. The Kurdish political party HDP supported opposition candidate Kamal Kilich Darulu. Pointing this out, Erdogan accused Darulu of having links with terrorist movements.
Unsurprisingly, voters gave Erdogan a solid majority in nine of the 11 earthquake-hit provinces in southeastern Turkey. One of the reasons was his promise to construct six lakh houses for free. Kilich Darulu first tried to present a positive agenda. But he was defeated in the first round after getting only 44.9 percent of the votes. Another attempt to present himself as an extremist nationalist. That angered Kurdish voters.
He then joined hands with Amit Osdag, head of the nationalist Victory Party. It also angered the moderate followers of Kilich Darulu.
∙ Will you still be a good neighbor?
How will this election result affect Turkey and the world? Geographical strategic importance gives Turkey a crucial position not only in this region but globally. That is why this election is termed as the most important event of 2023.
According to political analyst Burhanetin Duran, Erdogan will now start trying to ensure regional balance in the region and restore good relations with the West for the country’s economic development. Erdogan has appointed little-known intelligence chief Hakan Fidan as foreign minister.
This indicates that Turkey will try to find a quick solution to the problems with Syria. Fidan, who is of Kurdish origin, had been holding backdoor talks in Moscow with the Syrian intelligence chief for a year. Erdogan is also likely to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad soon, mediated by Russia.
Finan was also instrumental in normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE last year. Another sign of Erdogan’s change in approach after the election was the appointment of internationally respected economist Mehmet Simsek as finance minister.
During Simsek’s tenure as Minister of Finance (2009-2015) and Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs (2015-2018), the economy recorded high growth. He left active politics in 2018 due to disagreements with Erdogan’s economic policy.
∙ See you in Delhi in September
Since the election, there have been signs from Turkey that it is willing to support Sweden’s entry into NATO to improve relations with the West. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Sweden’s former Prime Minister Carl Bildt arrived in Ankara to attend Erdogan’s swearing-in ceremony.
The election victory is a proof that Erdogan has become strong in global politics. A significant change is also evident in Turkey’s approach towards India. Erdogan had earlier criticized India and raised the Kashmir issue and human rights violations against Indian Muslims. Not only did it anger the central government,
It also led to strict instructions not to invite the Turkish ambassador to any event in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S. Jayashankar even ordered to cancel the installation of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in a park in Ankara on October 2, 2021.
In September last year, Turkey had anticipated a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Erdogan just before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Uzbekistan. Erdogan is preparing to participate in the G20 summit to be held in Delhi in September this year.
After a long time, the Foreign Ministries of the two countries have held some talks in recent months. The trade between the two countries was only 5 billion dollars in 2020-21, increasing by 100 percent in two years to cross 10.7 billion dollars. Indian companies have invested around 12.6 billion dollars in Turkey. Companies from Turkey are also eager to invest in India. Many of them are targeting Gujarat.
The rally on the anniversary of Turkey’s conquest of Istanbul is likely to excite Islamists and nationalists in Turkey. But real politics after the election is staring at Erdogan. If he wants to improve the country’s economy, he will have to give up his extreme foreign policies. (The writer, a native of Kashmir, is a journalist in Ankara)
English Summary: Is Turkey abandoning extremist policies? The West is confused
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