Renowned Turkish political scientist and activist Cengiz Aktar sat down with CivilNet’s Eric Hacopian to talk about Turkey’s upcoming general election, the country’s continued de-Westernization, its “wagging the dog” relations with Azerbaijan, and the prospects for normalization with Armenia. He also discusses if a Turkish Willy Brandt could ever emerge to honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
What Happened: Turkey’s Supreme Election Board published a temporary list of presidential candidates who are eligible to run for office in the May 14 election, and the most prominent candidates are incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Hurriyet Daily News reported on March 28. CHP member Muharrem Ince and Sinan Ogan, a Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) member and head of the ATA Alliance, also made it onto the list.
Why It Matters: As Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu are backed by the country’s biggest political alliances, the People’s Alliance and the Nation Alliance, respectively, the presidential election will essentially pit these two major candidates against each other. However, Ince could contribute to a split opposition vote. Ogan is the least notable candidate, but since the MHP is an ally of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), he could draw some votes away from Erdogan and provide slight competition between non-opposition parties.
Background: Ince is a popular opposition figure who has always competed with Kilicdaroglu and also ran for president in the 2018 presidential election, with 30% of the votes placing him second behind Erdogan, who won outright in the first round of the election with 53%.
RANE Worldview
The year of 2023 might become perhaps the worst time for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his political career. Being harshly criticized for his foreign policy due to balancing between the West and Russia, making accuses towards the U.S. (the Turkey’s main strategic partner) and sticking to the NATO at the same time, Erdogan’s internal policy is also close to ruins.
The Erdogan’s failure to response to the earthquake that hit the Turkish northern territories and killed more than 35 000 people is on the top of the presidential election campaign agenda. The Turkish leader is accused by opposition for hailing some of the housing projects that crumbled, killing thousands of people. According to some construction experts, contractors were allowed to skip crucial safety regulations, increasing their profits but putting residents at risk. The video, taken during a campaign stop ahead of Turkey’s March 2019 local elections, Erdogan mentioned new housing for the city of Kahramanmaras (also called as Maras), near the epicenter February’s quake, as one of his main achievements.
“We solved the problem of 144,156 citizens of Maras with zoning amnesty,” Erdogan said, using his term for the construction amnesties handed out to allow contractors to ignore the safety codes.
The earthquake-damaged territories mostly inhabited by Kurds, have always been an epicenter for Turkey’s internal policy. Having been oppressed by the Turkish ruling party for years for the activity of the local PKK party (Kurdish Working Party, considered as a terrorist organization by the Turkish government), these territories faced a revealed connivance of authorities towards housing construction that adds even more oil to the flame that’s discrediting Erdogan’s policy among locals.
But in his foreign policy Erdogan has been even more uncompromising for several years. Having demonstrated his Ottoman Empire’s ambitions, the Turkish leader has managed to make enemies almost from all his partners and near-located countries. Harsh and uncensored accusations towards the West, an aggressive imperial policy towards some Middle East and Northern African countries, unstable position towards the Ukraine’s crisis have earned Erdogan a reputation of one of the most untrusted leaders.
As one Turkish saying goes, “One can trust a Turk after 40 days of his death”, Erdogan seems to having done everything to prove this. Sadly, there seems to be almost no time to recover from it before the May,14 presidential elections. Unless the people’s trust will again be bought.
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jimkarygiannis
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Bio Hon. Jim Karygiannis privy Councillor Member of Parliament Scarborough-Agincourt
Turkey elnx Special forces brought into areas that independents are running.
SELVATOR2Police presence is unfortunate but a must. We shall protect our people’s free will to choose.
Insan haklari dernegi human rights association confirms that areas that support independent candidates have green cards revoked.
jimkarygiannis2 hours agovia Twitter for BlackBerry®
Turkey elnx advised if people voting for independent the government will revoke health green card assistance.
jimkarygiannis2 hours agovia Twitter for BlackBerry®
Turkey elnx Mus+Varto provinces 11:45am close to 25 stations visited. Heavy police presence. Close to 40% out.Some Irregularities
jimkarygiannis5 hours agovia Twitter for BlackBerry®
Turkey elnx. Mus visited 3 major multiple polling locations. All kinds of irregularities. Heavy police presence. Over 300 cops
stratosathensWhat does “mus” mean? 🙂
jimkarygiannis4 hours agovia Twitter for BlackBerry®
Police officer pulled us over at road block. Harassment belong any reasonable control
@jimkarygiannis what are your overall thoughts on Turkish elxn so far? Any major, significantly-compromising problems?
jimkarygiannisHeavy police presence. Some irregularities. Heavily controlled.
Mus hus koy polling station 1025 ballots are not all stamped in the back. Although many people lingering 80 have voted 9:40am
Road block outside mus. Heavy police presence
Mus polling station 1049 no’lu sandik. Party reps assisting in polling acting as clerks. Supposedly this is allowed in turkey.
Mus cops not suppose to be in polling stations. Police officer inside polling booth
SELVATOR2We are trying to secure our people’s freedom to vote. It is an unfortunate scene, but we should blame to those who is terrorizing the public rather than the state who is trying to protect tem form the terrorists.
Mus already difficulties at first poll. People pretending to be officials roaming halls of school.
Mus Turkey polls open. Water Cannon and heavy police(50) presence outside polling station
Elnx day in turkey polls about to open in less than 1 hour. Let’s see if democracy will avail here. Observing in Mus.
Turkey elnx Police presence heavy. water canons on the everywhere. Seen already 10.
Turkey Demonstrations+speeches banned 24 hrs before elnx.Banners abundant.Tomorrow polls
diyarbakir Turkey elnx decorations all over the place,Billboards. Demonstrations, gatherings banned 24 hr before elnx uneasiness
Streets in diyarbakir Turkey decorated for the upcoming election on sunday. Mood tense
Arrived in Diyarbakir. Largest kurdish city. Close to 1.5 million. Staying S V business hotel.
stratosathenswow! Is it safe?
jimkarygiannisso far yes. However tomorrow is going to get a little rough.
#LPC MP @JimKarygiannis has arrived in Dyarbakir, Turkey to observe this weekend’s Turkish elections
draymakerWould be nice if he stayed there MT @davidakin #LPC MP @JimKarygiannis has arrived in Dyarbakir, Turkey to observe Turkish elections
jimkarygiannisas much as you might wish, I do not think I will you the favor
