Turkey is gearing up for its first-ever run-off presidential election. The country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, failed to win a clear majority in the initial round, held earlier this month on 7 June, with 51.8% of the vote. He will now face the opposition leader, Ekrem Imamoglu, in a head-to-head contest, on 23 June. Ekrem Imamoglu represents the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and won the contested Istanbul Mayoral Elections in 2019, after controversially removing President Erdogan’s AKP party from power in Istanbul, ending a quarter of a century of AKP dominance in the city.
Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003, was already facing a challenge from Imamoglu, who recently won the Istanbul mayoral election. However, the fact that Erdogan failed to win outright has boosted the opposition’s chances. The country’s first-ever run-off presidential election will determine whether Erdogan will continue to lead Turkey, or if it’s finally time for a change. Erdogan has been under pressure in recent years, with the economy struggling, rights groups denouncing his human rights record, and opposition parties accusing him of eroding Turkey’s democratic and secular foundations.
The election is seen as a crucial test for Erdogan, who has been facing increasing domestic and international criticism for his policies. The Turkish leader has been criticized for his handling of the economy, which has been in a recession for the past year, and for his crackdown on opposition voices. Thousands of people have been arrested and imprisoned, including academics, journalists, politicians, and human rights activists, under laws that critics say are overly broad and vague.
Criticism of Erdogan also extends beyond Turkey’s borders. The leader has been criticized for his handling of Syria, where he has been accused of waging a brutal war against Kurdish forces and for his ongoing support for the UN-recognised government in Libya, which is currently battling forces loyal to Libyan general Khalifa Haftar. Erdogan has also been accused of provoking tensions with Greece and Cyprus in the East Mediterranean over offshore drilling rights.
The stakes in this election are high. If Erdogan loses, it will be a significant defeat for the Turkish leader, who has been in power for more than a decade. A victory for the opposition, on the other hand, would be a historic moment for Turkey, and could pave the way for a new era of democracy and stability in the country.
The run-off election comes at a time when Turkey is facing a range of challenges, including economic difficulties, a refugee crisis, ongoing conflicts in Syria and Libya, and diplomatic tensions with the US and the EU. The outcome of the election will have far-reaching consequences for both Turkey and the wider region.
Many analysts predict a closely-fought contest, and some have suggested that the election could lead to further political instability in the country. However, with the world watching, the people of Turkey will have the final say in this historic moment for their country.
