Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a course correction after his AKP’s defeat in local elections. “If we made a mistake, we will fix it,” Erdogan said on Monday. However, he left open what changes he wanted to make.
“This is not the end for us, but a turning point,” Erdogan said at his national conservative party’s headquarters in Ankara. The opposition party CHP had won almost 38 percent of the votes nationally and was more than two points ahead of the AKP. Erdogan himself was not elected for another five years until May 2023. The municipal elections, in which city and municipal councils were also reappointed, were seen as an important test of sentiment.
Praise and criticism from election observers
Independent election observers said everything went smoothly, but also expressed criticism. “Election day was generally calm and professionally organised, with a high turnout, demonstrating the strong commitment of citizens to democratic processes,” said David Eray, head of the Council of Europe Observation Mission. However, the elections took place “in a highly polarized environment,” deputy chief Vladimir Prebilic added. “More must be done to ensure a political and media environment where there is genuine freedom of expression and a sensible and well-implemented framework overseen by an independent judiciary.”
Istanbul Mayor: “The time of one-man rule is over”
In the metropolis of Istanbul, the incumbent mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the CHP had the upper hand. He received 51 percent of the votes, putting him eleven points ahead of his AKP challenger. Opinion polls had previously suggested a close race. “The era of one-man rule ends today,” Imamoglu said. The 53-year-old former businessman is considered a future presidential candidate.
Mega-inflation worries Erdogan
Analysts blame high inflation for the AKP’s loss of votes. The current inflation rate is almost 70 percent. Erdogan asked for patience given slower economic growth and high financing costs. Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said the austerity program will continue.
Source: Krone
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