PRESIDENT HEAVY FAVOURITE DESPITE DOMESTIC CHALLENGES
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has parlayed his country’s Nato membership and location straddling Europe and the Middle East into international influence, is favoured to win reelection in a presidential runoff today, despite a host of domestic issues.
Erdogan, 69, finished a first-round election on May 14 just short of a victory and also retained a majority in parliament. That came despite rampant inflation and the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake.
His challenger is Kemal Kilicdaroglu, 74, who leads the main opposition Republican People’s Party and is the joint candidate of a six-party alliance, who has promised to undo Erdogan’s presidential system, repatriate Syrian refugees and promote rights of women.
Here’s a look at the issues shaping the vote:
Disaster response
Turkey is grappling with a difficult recovery from February’s earthquake. The World Bank estimates that the disaster caused $34.2 billion in “direct damages” – an amount equivalent to 4 per cent of Turkey’s 2021 gross domestic product. The recovery and reconstruction costs could add up to twice that much, the global lender said.
Erdogan’s government, meanwhile, has been accused of setting the stage for the devastation with lax building code enforcement. Some people left homeless or struggling to earn money also found the government’s earthquake response to be slow.
Despite the criticism, in the parliamentary election Erdogan’s alliance won 10 out 11 provinces in areas affected by the quake, signalling that the president’s focus on rebuilding during the campaigning has paid off.
Kilicdaroglu says his government would give houses to quake victims for free instead of the 20-year repayment plan envisaged by Erdogan’s government.
Refugees, especially those fleeing civil war in Syria, were once greeted with open arms in Turkey, but anti-migration sentiment is on the rise amid the economic downturn. A shortage of housing in the quake-hit provinces has increased calls for refugees to go home.
Kilicdaroglu vowed to repatriate Syrians within two years. He has since won the backing of an anti-migrant party.
Under mounting public pressure, Erdogan’s government has begun constructing thousands of brick homes in Turkish-controlled areas of northern Syria to encourage voluntary returns. His government is also seeking reconciliation with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to ensure their safe return.