Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
11 May 2023 | 16:24 CAT

Photo credit: Financial Times

Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections are less than two weeks away, with President Recep Erdogan facing unprecedented challenges that could end his two-decade rule.

Many Turkish citizens abroad have already begun voting, while the residents in Turkey will place their votes at the end of the week. International Relations expert based in Ankara and holds a PhD from Florida International University, Muhammed Koçak discussed the upcoming elections With Radio Islam International.

According to Koçak, no pattern or trend can be gauged from the voting that has already taken place, as the previous three or four elections in Turkey have been a tight race between Erdogan and his supporters. Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) face their greatest political challenge yet in elections on Sunday.

Meanwhile, amid an economic crisis from the effect of the Covid pandemic, and months after earthquakes killed more than 50,000 people and displaced millions more, may be reasons Erdogan’s supporters have changed their votes, says Koçak.
“The election is a tight race and is not certain for both of the candidates.”

According to the Guardian, Erdoğan has championed religious and conservative social values at home, presiding over an increasingly authoritarian regime that is more and more intolerant of criticism. Abroad, he has asserted Turkey’s influence in the region and loosened its ties with the West.

His primary challenger is Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP), the unity candidate of the six-party Nation Alliance, who has pledged to reverse many of Erdoğan’s policies, including his all-powerful executive presidency.

Listen to the full interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie on Your World Today.