‘Mother Meral’: The woman trying to drive Turkey’s Erdogan from office
TURKEY - Quarrels between men end when a woman throws her headscarf on the ground, according to Turkish tradition. So presidential candidate Meral Aksener is going from town to town collecting these colorful pieces of cloth, known as ‘yemeni’, from her supporters.
The 61-year-old is leading what she calls the yemeni revolution to bring an end to the aggression of Turkish politics. If she becomes the one to finally end President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s long reign, she will put the headscarves on display in Cankaya, the former presidential palace in Ankara.
“Turkey has been ruled by a very harsh male for a very long time,” she told CNN in the southern city of Adana, on the campaign trail.
Some abroad call Aksener Turkey’s Iron Lady, but others at home call her Asena, a mythical blue she-wolf that led Turkic tribes away from danger. But there are other names she prefers.
“Some people call me sister, but there are many young people who call me ‘Mother Meral,’ and I like being a mother,” Aksener said. Aksener is the only woman running for president in the June 24 elections, but her appeal is not based solely on her gender. Her conservative and longtime nationalist credentials are what make her most likely to lure support from Erdogan’s base, even though she polls third.
The main opposition candidate, Muharrem Ince, is in second place and has galvanized his own center-left base. But he is unlikely to split the conservative vote in the way Aksener can. Aksener and her envisaged revolution have been drawing crowds across Turkey. Women at the Adana rally eagerly handed their headscarves up to the candidate on stage.
Esra Demirkol, a fervent supporter who waited for hours to get a photo, jumped on stage to hug the candidate. “For the future, for our kids, for our country for many reasons, I will vote for Meral Aksener. A woman’s touch makes everything better. I want a mother to rule our country,” said a breathless Demirkol as she returned from stage. (CNN)