“The Importance of Turkey’s Upcoming Elections for the Region and the World”

The world is also waiting for these elections with great attention, because Turkey is an important player both in the security of the region and in the world, for example, currently determining whether Sweden will be able to join NATO.

The most important elections of the year in the world – this is what many experts of international politics say about the upcoming voting in Turkey on Sunday.

Expectations are high in Turkey and in the world, because both democratic and authoritarian regimes are looking at Turkey, that is, in which direction Turkey will lean.

In recent years, the current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has led the country in a tighter fist. In Turkey, there is actually no room for an opposite opinion, there is an attack against a free press, and there is an ever-growing tension in relations with the West.

Turkey is a member of NATO, and right after the elections in Turkey, the fate of Sweden will also be decided, whether it will become a member of NATO. Erdogan has so far put obstacles in the way of Sweden’s admission into the alliance.

The people of Turkey are very much preparing for the elections and are really waiting for the moment when they can go to vote.

The last pre-election signs are still visible on the streets of Ankara – posters of both members of parliament and presidential candidates, flags with party logos and some loud messages from advertising buses.

Opinion polls are heating up the temperature. A day before the vote, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is slightly ahead of his fiercest rival, the joint opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdoroglu.

Erdogan and his rival are playing different cards. Erdogan promises a strictly and economically governed conservative country, new jobs, a prosperous economy and the strengthening of Turkey’s power and name in the world.

Kilicdoroglu, on the other hand, promises to bring Turkey closer to the West, the European Union, NATO, and take care of democratic values.

One of the biggest leaks in Erdogan’s power ship was created by the recent tragic earthquake, which claimed a large number of human casualties, shattered the city and the citizens’ faith in the government to be able to help in the crisis. The economic problems and Turkish public’s longing for a freer breath also contribute to the sinking of Erdogan’s popularity.

“We live in Ankara. It’s the capital of Turkey, and it’s different here than in other cities, because we feel the pressure. Me and my mom, we hope that democracy will win. We’re looking forward to the elections,” says Laguna, a resident of Ankara.

“I want a change. I’m tired of all this. But I hope that after tomorrow we’ll be happy again,” Bojcan reasoned.

On the other hand, Misaha supports the current president: “I am for Erdogan, Erdogan has done a lot! Zero points for Kilicdoroglu!”

It is not easy to find someone on the streets of Ankara who would like to speak about the elections. People choose to keep their opinions to themselves.

However, if Erdogan loses the election, he will leave with honor, according to Husein Baji, director of the Turkish Foreign Policy Institute, who closely follows the Turkish election process.

“Turkey is a democratic country and Erdogan was elected in democratic elections and will leave if he is not re-elected.

It won’t be that he won’t want to give up power. Turkey’s democracy is durable and functioning in spite of all the ups and downs,” Baji believes.

“In addition, yesterday the president also clearly said that he will not resist and will give up power if necessary. Turkey is strong despite all the attacks. The traditions of the Turkish state are strong and the people’s desire to live in a democratic country is stronger than ever.”

Both Erdogan and Kilicdoroglu believe that Turkey should maintain good relations with Russia because it is in Turkey’s interest, economic interest, because Turkey trades with Russia and gets cheap energy resources, but at the same time, the war in Ukraine is not beneficial for Turkey and that is why it wants to get involved .

Polling stations in Turkey will open at 8 am on Sunday and will be open until 5 pm. Later in the evening, the first winds of the outcome will be clear.

CONTEXT:

On May 14, both presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in Turkey. The current head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power in Turkey since 2003, is also running for the position of president. The opposition sharply criticizes him for restricting democracy and persecuting political opponents.

To try to defeat Erdogan, the main opposition parties have agreed to support a joint presidential candidate: Kemal Kilicdaroglu, 74, who is the leader of the Republican People’s Party. He promises to promote democracy in Turkey and strengthen ties with the West.

If none of the candidates gets at least 50% of the votes in the first round of the presidential election, a second round will be held two weeks later, on May 28.

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