Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the main challenger in Turkey's presidential race, has taken a more hard-line stance against migrants and Kurdish militants, ahead of his upcoming run-off election with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The candidate has vowed to send back millions of refugees if elected, and has rejected the possibility of peace talks with Kurdish militants, amid rising anti-migrant sentiment and criticism of the government's response to natural disasters. Erdogan won 49.5% of the vote in the first round, while Kilicdaroglu won 44.9%.
Turkish presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu has promised to send "10 million refugees" home if he wins the May 28 run-off by adopting an anti-migrant tone, in a bid to win nationalist votes and defeat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This significant shift comes after Kilicdaroglu accused the government of allowing an exaggerated 10 million "irregular" migrants into the country, warning that the number of migrants in Turkey, which has a population of 85 million, could rise to 30 million. About 3.6 million Syrian refugees are registered in the country, though migrants and refugees living in Turkey have faced an increasingly hostile climate in recent years, which has led to calls for their departure from the country and violence.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the challenger to Turkey's President Erdogan in the upcoming presidential runoff election, has promised to send 4 million Syrian refugees back to their home country if elected. Erdogan has allowed refugees to enter Turkey, and granted them citizenship, which Kilicdaroglu accuses him of doing to get votes. Turkey has the largest refugee population in the world. Kilicdaroglu's comments came as Sinan Ogan, a nationalist candidate who has been endorsed by an anti-refugee party, won 5.2% of the vote, making him a kingmaker.
Despite the economic crisis, two devastating earthquakes, and less-than-friendly relations with the West, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won the first round of Turkey's presidential election by around four percentage points. Erdogan's electoral alliance also managed to secure another parliamentary majority. However, he failed to garner the 50% plus one required for an outright victory and so there will be a run-off vote. Erdogan’s eventual replacement is likely to come from a nationalist party, the elections highlighting the staying power of nationalism in Turkey. Fighting has just stopped in the Gaza Strip after 33 Palestinian and one Israeli died over four days of rocket fire from the Strip and air attacks by Israel. The Israeli government points to the lack of prolonged conflict and a bump in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s polling numbers from the events as proof of its success. Palestinians have just marked the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, the foundation of the state of Israel and the subsequent mass displacement and occupation of Palestinians.
The Turkish lira reached an all-time low against the dollar following President Erdogan's stronger-than-expected showing in the recent presidential election, with the currency losing over 1% since the vote. The equity markets and banking stocks fell further, leaving many of the bonds and issues below the 70 cent margin for distressed territories, although the cost of insuring the country's debt against default fell slightly. Foreign investors have become increasingly wary of investing in Turkey, with net international reserves dropping to over a 21-year low, while Turkish banks are restricting access to individual loans and postponing decisions on extending corporate loans.
The south Turkish province of Adiyaman, which has been hit hard in various earthquakes, has long been a stronghold of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His success at winning 66% of the vote there in the last round of elections may mean that he remains confident he can win Turkey's presidential election. During his rule, much of the aid to people living in Adiyaman has come from an interpretation of the religious tax known as "zakat". Other voters in the capital, Ankara and Istanbul believe that Adiyaman's people supported Erdogan, despite their suffering, because they have nowhere else to go.
Turkey’s lira hit a new all-time low of 19.8050 against the dollar on Thursday following the recent election in which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unexpectedly emerged as the frontrunner. The currency has already lost more than 1% since the outcome of the vote was announced earlier this week. Its decline of 44% this year and 30% so far in 2022 is primarily attributable to Erdogan’s economic policies.
Opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who faces incumbent President Recep Erdogan in a second round of voting on 24 June, has pledged to deport all refugees from Turkey. In addition, the left-wing politician has attempted to reject the support of pro-Kurdish groups. Experts have suggested that Kilicdaroglu will need to broaden his support from moderate Islamists and right-wingers in order to oust Erdogan from power after his two-decade presidency.
Following Erdogan's recent win in Turkey's presidential election, opposition supporters took to social media to vent their anger, much of it directed towards voters living in areas which had been affected by recent earthquakes. Criticism has now been levelled by many at the government's supposedly slow initial response to the disaster. Some Twitter users threatened voters living in the earthquake zone, while others insisted they would no longer send aid to assist survivors of the quake. Investigations are now underway into individuals who have created "provocative posts" against victims of the earthquake.
Turkey’s big economic gamble looks set to continue
CNN
23-05-19 11:58
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to continue cutting interest rates to tackle inflation should he be re-elected, despite falling short of winning 50% of the votes cast in last Sunday’s election. Erdogan’s loss of seats has prompted concern from investors, and Turkey’s lira fell to a record low against the US dollar. City analysts warned that Turkey needs to curb inflation, secure financial stability, and achieve sustainable growth, regardless of the election results.
Turkish banks have restricted access to some individual loans and delayed decisions on corporate loans following new regulations introduced since Sunday's inconclusive presidential election. Mortgage and car loan rates have increased, while interest rates for personal loans above TRY 70,000 ($3,590) have risen to almost 5%. The central bank's latest rules aim to slow the growth of individual loans, which had soared in the run-up to Sunday’s election. Some banks have limited lending to only when obligatory, saying that it is no longer at the rates seen recently.
Turkey's net international reserves fell to a 21-year low of $2.33bn in the week to 12 May, after concerns surrounding the lira led to foreign exchange demand surging ahead of the country's elections. Total gross reserves also fell $9bn to $105.13bn in the same week, marking the lowest level since July 2022. The steep drop has raised questions from analysts about the country's economic policies and their ability to keep the lira afloat, while bankers said the move reflected the authorities' efforts to stabilise the currency.
Turkey's Supreme Election Board has confirmed that a second round of voting will be required in the presidential election after no candidate secured an outright victory. Recep Tayyip Erdogan won 49.24% of the votes, with Kemal Kilicdaroglu taking 45.07% and Sinan Ogan receiving 5.28%. Erdogan met with Ogan, a former academic whose backing could be key in the run-off, on Friday, but did not release a statement following the meeting. The run-off will be held on 28 May.
Turkey's Supreme Election Board has confirmed that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu will face off in the presidential election's second round on 24 June. Erdogan secured 52.59% of the vote in the first round on 24 June, with Kilicdaroglu receiving 23.68% and Meral Aksener and Selahattin Dermirtas taking 7.44% and 7.29% respectively. Erdogan has re-aligned the country's security structure and justice system, arrested tens of thousands of opponents and instituted a state of emergency following an unsuccessful coup attempt in 2016.
As Turkish opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu challenges President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the upcoming presidential elections, the outcome will have global repercussions. Erdogan, who has held power for 20 years, has alienated some allies with his authoritarian policies and his increasingly close relations with Russia. Kilicdaroglu has pledged to restore democracy and improve human rights, but some are unsure if he can match Erdogan's skills on the international stage. Turkey has cemented its position as a valuable diplomatic broker since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but its role in Nato and its stalled candidacy for European Union membership continue to complicate its relationship with the West. Both candidates have promised to return as many Syrian refugees as possible if they win the election, but this raises further concerns about the welfare or accommodation of displaced Syrians if Turkey puts a stop to the support offered to refugees.
In Turkey's presidential election, Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed to secure an outright win, meaning a run-off will take place on 28 May. While the opposition was more united than ever, the election comes against a backdrop of criticisms over Erdogan's handling of the economy. His reduction of interest rates during a time of high inflation has drawn rebukes, and a rethink of policies could result if the opposition wins. The global labour market is also facing upheaval, prompting calls for greater upskilling.
Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will face a second round of voting later this month to determine whether he will have extended powers. This follows Sunday's win which saw him secure 52% of the presidential vote with over 99% of the votes counted. However, it is thought that his rival, Muharrem Ince of the Republican People’s Party, secured nearly twice as much as the next opposition, trailing Erdogan with 31%. Erdogan is expected to win a parliamentary majority and secure a comfortable victory in the second round, largely because a coalition with nationalist politicians, the MHP, is expected to give his party a parliamentary majority.
Voting has opened for Turkish citizens living outside the country in the presidential runoff election, after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed to secure the required support for a first-round victory earlier this month. Three million Turkish nationals and citizens live in Germany, with 1.5 million registered to vote. The deadline for all voters abroad to cast their ballot is 24 May, before the domestic vote on 28 May. Erdogan will go head-to-head with Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an opposition leader, with voters choosing between "two starkly different world visions", according to Turkish policy expert Asli Aydintasbas.
In the first round of voting, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) formed a comfortable parliamentary majority, and he received 49.24% of the vote, compared to Kilicdaroglu’s 45.07%. Nationalist politician Sinan Ogan took 5.25%. Kilicdaroglu has exhorted Turks to vote, calling it their “national duty”. The election has captured international attention because of “the opposition’s chance of winning”, Aydintasbas said, noting that while there is strong support for Erdogan, the country’s first-time voters appear “to see nothing but him,” leaving many calling for a change.
Turkish citizens are feeling despondent about their future, following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK party's gains in the recent general election, with many believing that the Islamist party have taken over the country and sucked it dry. Many citizens who work in the tourism industry believe that Erdogan will win the runoff election and that this will be a good thing for tourism, but others simply do not know what else to do. Many are underemployed and lack the connections to prepare themselves for better-paying positions, whilst others are struggling to make ends meet despite earning just above minimum wage. Opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu's supporters are unsure as to whether the leader can secure their votes, and ultimately, Erdogan's ill health is a point of concern, leaving citizens unsure as to the future of Turkish politics and the country's economic strength.
Turks overseas have begun voting in a run-off election between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Polling suggests that Kilicdaroglu has gained the support of those living in the UK, Southern and Eastern European states, including the Balkans, Finland and Sweden. Turkey has 3.4 million voters overseas, accounting for about 5% of the total electorate, and the votes of more than five million Turkish people resident in Europe may also influence the election. The second round of voting will take place domestically on 28 May.
