Today News Journal
    What's Hot

    Statue of Adam Goodes’s ‘iconic’ war cry unveiled by AFL club Sydney Swans | Adam Goodes

    May 26, 2023

    Hull KR talking points as old habits creep in but panic stations miles away

    May 26, 2023

    Kate Middleton citrine cocktail ring: Jewel shows ‘independence’

    May 26, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Today News Journal
    Contact Us
    • Home
    • Trending
    • Business
    • Health
    • Technology
      • Automobile
      • Gadgets
      • Mobiles
      • Robotics
    • Lifestyle
      • Culture
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Editorials
    • News
      • Politics
    Today News Journal
    Home » News » Why Erdogan’s Reelection Bid in Turkey Isn’t a Sure Bet
    News

    Why Erdogan’s Reelection Bid in Turkey Isn’t a Sure Bet

    James MartinBy James MartinJanuary 24, 2023No Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email



    Comment

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who wields almost unbridled power in Turkey, is seeking another term as president in elections likely to come in May. With the country facing an economic crisis, polls suggest a tight race that could threaten his 20-year rule, the longest in Turkey’s history. Even before a date’s been set, it’s become a rancorous contest. Electoral rules have been rewritten to give Erdogan and his party an edge. And critics say he’s leaning on the courts to disqualify strong competitors and that he’s violating the constitution by running again. 

    1. What’s the main election issue?

    Erdogan, who will turn 69 on Feb. 26, faces a vote over his increasingly authoritarian leadership after effectively shifting Turkey to an executive presidency with sweeping powers in 2018. Turkey’s opposition parties rarely coordinate strategy, but this time Erdogan faces a serious challenge from a six-party opposition bloc, which includes ex-allies who helped build his political empire. The vote comes as the nation is contending with the worst cost-of-living crisis in two decades. Though Erdogan remains Turkey’s most popular politician, his Justice and Development Party has lost support among the poor, who’ve typically been among its most stalwart backers. Leaders of the opposition bloc promise to run the country through consensus. Erdogan attacks their plan as a recipe for a return to the bickering within coalition governments that produced decades of political and economic instability before he rose to power. 

    2. Why are prices so high? 

    Inflation was around 64% in December, down from a 24-year peak of 85.5% in October, and remains the second highest among peer emerging economies after crisis-ridden Argentina. Pandemic disruptions and the war in Ukraine have fueled inflation in many nations, but Erdogan’s unconventional economic views have accelerated the phenomenon in Turkey. While many central banks have increased interest rates to combat inflation, Erdogan takes the unorthodox position that doing so has the opposite effect. Under pressure from him, Turkey’s central bank has cut rates. In pre-election pledges that will test the country’s fiscal health, Erdogan has promised to protect citizens’ purchasing power by significantly increasing pensions and civil servants’ pay, as well as the minimum wage. 

    3. When will the elections be held?

    They must be held by June 18. However, Erdogan, who has the power to call both presidential and parliamentary elections at any time, has repeatedly signaled that they could come in May, hinting that May 14 could be the day. That date would come immediately after the government, according to its plans, will allow more than 2 million people to retire early and will hire hundreds of thousands of others in the public sector. The date would also avoid school holidays and the annual Hajj pilgrimage in June, possibly increasing chances of a high turnout, although not among university students, who usually need to return to their hometowns to vote — young voters being a source of support for the opposition. Voting takes place on the first Sunday after the 60th day following a president’s call for an election. A presidential candidate must win more than 50% of the votes to avoid a runoff two weeks later. 

    4. Who will challenge Erdogan?

    The six-party alliance has yet to declare its candidate for the presidency. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of its biggest party, has put himself forward. In local elections in 2019, Kilicdaroglu led his Republican People’s Party to victory against Erdogan’s party in Turkey’s largest cities. He’s not as popular as the party’s Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul. But in December, Imamoglu was convicted of insulting election officials and his prison sentence of two years and seven months, if upheld on appeal, will ban him from politics. Critics accuse Erdogan of influencing the judiciary to prevent rivals such as Imamoglu from running, an allegation the government has denied. 

    5. What are the prospects for parliament? 

    Polls suggest Erdogan’s party and its smaller partner, the Nationalist Movement Party, could struggle to sustain the parliamentary majority they won in the last election in 2018. Their prospects would improve if they don’t have to compete against the People’s Democratic Party, which advocates for the rights of Turkey’s Kurdish minority and is the third largest bloc in parliament. It did well enough in elections in June 2015 to deny Erdogan’s party a parliamentary majority. A court is considering disbanding the People’s Democratic Party over separatism charges related to alleged ties to Kurdish militants — charges it denied. 

    6. What’s the issue with Erdogan’s candidacy? 

    His critics say he can’t run again because the constitution limits presidents to two consecutive five-year terms unless parliament calls a snap election during the second term. Officials in Erdogan’s administration say that for purposes of that provision, he’s only in his first term — having been directly elected by the people for the first time in 2018, a year after a referendum shifted the country to a new presidential system. Before that, in 2014, he’d been elected president by parliament, after serving as prime minister for the previous 11 years. The country’s Supreme Election Board has the final say over the eligibility of presidential candidates and is unlikely to oppose Erdogan’s bid. 

    7. How have the electoral rules changed?

    Erdogan’s government won parliament’s approval for amendments, which take effect April 6, reducing the percentage of overall votes a party must win to enter parliament to 7% from 10%. At the same time, the new rules make it harder for smaller parties to win seats on their own, forcing them to run on tickets dominated by bigger allies. The changes close a loophole that would have allowed the People’s Democratic Party to circumvent a ban, if it comes. And the rules exempt the president from a prohibition on ministers using state resources to organize their campaigns or attend rallies.

    More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com



    Source link

    Related posts:

    1. Riot Games announces new ‘Valorant’ esports league model
    2. Biden condemns efforts of extremist ‘Maga crowd’ to overturn Roe v Wade abortion protections – as it happened | US politics
    3. FDA chief Califf to appear at House hearing on baby formula shortage
    4. A Wake-Up Call for Public Education
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Previous ArticleThe best wireless headphones for 2023
    Next Article Bitcoin and Binary Options Trading
    James Martin
    • Website

    Related Posts

    What does it mean to raise the U.S. debt ceiling? The fight, explained

    May 26, 2023

    Debt ceiling deal within sight as Biden and Republicans continue to negotiate | US politics

    May 26, 2023

    Politics should be taught in primary schools, Alastair Campbell says | Alastair Campbell

    May 25, 2023

    Australia news live: fears of further collapse after huge Sydney fire; NSW to consider ‘breach of trust’ fines in wake of PwC scandal | Australia news

    May 25, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Search
    Categories
    • Automobile
    • Business
    • Coronavirus
    • Culture
    • Editorials
    • Finance
    • Gadgets
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Mobiles
    • Money
    • News
    • Politics
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Trending
    • World
    Latest Posts

    Statue of Adam Goodes’s ‘iconic’ war cry unveiled by AFL club Sydney Swans | Adam Goodes

    May 26, 2023

    Hull KR talking points as old habits creep in but panic stations miles away

    May 26, 2023

    Kate Middleton citrine cocktail ring: Jewel shows ‘independence’

    May 26, 2023

    Recipe: Chef’s chicken chow mein is ‘just like a takeaway would do it’

    May 26, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Don't Miss

    Statue of Adam Goodes’s ‘iconic’ war cry unveiled by AFL club Sydney Swans | Adam Goodes

    By James MartinMay 26, 20230

    The Sydney Swans have unveiled a bronze sculpture of Indigenous superstar Adam Goodes out the…

    Hull KR talking points as old habits creep in but panic stations miles away

    May 26, 2023

    Kate Middleton citrine cocktail ring: Jewel shows ‘independence’

    May 26, 2023

    Recipe: Chef’s chicken chow mein is ‘just like a takeaway would do it’

    May 26, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    About Us

    Hello friends, I am James Martin. Welcome to my blog todaynewsjournal.com. We are a team of experienced journalists who are passionate about delivering the latest news and current events to our readers. Our editorial team is dedicated to providing the most accurate and up-to-date information possible. We aim to be your go-to source for news and current events. Here on this site, You will get up to date information regarding all important categories like business ideas, health tips,... (Read More)

    Latest News

    Statue of Adam Goodes’s ‘iconic’ war cry unveiled by AFL club Sydney Swans | Adam Goodes

    May 26, 2023

    Hull KR talking points as old habits creep in but panic stations miles away

    May 26, 2023

    Kate Middleton citrine cocktail ring: Jewel shows ‘independence’

    May 26, 2023
    SIGN UP NEWSLETTER

    Join The Conversation sign up to receive emails for The Daily special tips general info.

      Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
      • Home
      • Editorials
      • Get In Touch

      Copyright © 2021-2023 · Today News Journal Privacy Policy

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
      Cookie SettingsAccept All
      Manage consent

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
      CookieDurationDescription
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
      viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
      Functional
      Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
      Performance
      Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
      Analytics
      Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
      Advertisement
      Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
      Others
      Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
      SAVE & ACCEPT

      Sign In or Register

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below.

      Lost password?