Kilicdaroglu's 'New Spring' Or Erodgan's 'Bolstering Defence': Turkiye Votes To Decide Its President And Future
Turkiye votes on Sunday to elect its new president and to decide its future. Sitting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces a tough challenge from main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu
Turkiye will vote on Sunday to decide the next president of the country which is battling a severe economic crisis and other issues since the aftermath of the earthquake in February this year. While there are four candidates for the top post namely Muharrem Ince, Sinan Ogan, Kemal Kilicdaroglu and incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself, the competition is between the last two.
It is mainly going to be Erdogan vs the leader of the primary opposition People’s Republican Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The two have different lines of promises, methods and certainly different modes of ruling. Kilicdaroglu has promised to bring ‘new spring’ to the country while Erdogan has campaigned on stability, independent foreign policy and continuing to bolster Turkey’s defense industry, CNN reported.
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Kemal Kilicdaroglu
CHP’s Kemal Kilicdaroglu is not as charismatic as President Tayyip Erdogan, but mild-mannered Kilicdaroglu is optimistic about his chances of beating Erdogan as he promises a new spring after two decades of his rival's turbulent governance, a Reuters report said.
In an interview with Reuters, he said, "I am asking everyone to stay calm and to remember that we are bringing spring to this country."
"Never have a pessimistic mood," he said in a message to supporters, adding "Remember that we will replace an authoritarian rule with the votes we cast."
Before entering politics, Kilicdaroglu worked in the finance ministry and then chaired Turkiye's Social Insurance Institution for most of the 1990s. According to Reuters, he became an MP in 2002 when Erdogan's AKP first came to power, representing the centre-left CHP. Notably, this party was established by modern Turkiye's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
He was born in the eastern Tunceli province and is an Alevi, a minority group that follows a faith drawing on Shi'ite Muslim, Sufi and Anatolian folk traditions.
Nicknamed "Gandhi Kemal" by Turkiye's media, Reuters stated, because his slight, bespectacled appearance bears a resemblance to India's independence hero. Well, he kind of justified the image in 2017 when he launched a 450 km (280 mile) "March for Justice" from Ankara to Istanbul over the arrest of a CHP deputy.
So, what changes does Kilicdaroglu plan to bring to Turkiye?
Return To Orthodox Economic Policy, Parliamentary System
Kilicdaroglu has pledged to set Turkiye on a new path and get rid of the legacy of the man who has taken tight control of most of its institutions. His top priority is a return to orthodox economic policies and the parliamentary system of governance and independence for a judiciary.
"We need to appoint someone who is trusted by financial circles as the head of the central bank. This is the first thing foreign investors will see. Plus, we will ensure the independence of the central bank," he said in the interview as quoted by Reuters.
"We are forming Champions League teams in every department. From politics to economics, from education to culture. We will rule the country with the most competent teams," he added.
Cost Of Living Crisis
Erdogan is being blamed for the disrupted and high cost of living in Turkiye. Kilicdaroglu aims to cool inflation that hit 85 per cent last year and solve this cost-of-living situation in the country.
In a rally earlier this month, he said, "I know people are struggling to get by. I know the cost of living and the hopelessness of young people. The time has come for change. A new spirit and understanding is necessary."
Fresh Foreign Policy
Kilicdaroglu has said that he would pursue a peace-oriented foreign policy that prioritises the nation’s interests.
"We would pursue a peace-oriented foreign policy that prioritises Turkey's national interest. Our priority is our national interests and to act in line with the modern world," Kilicdaroglu added, as quoted by Reuters.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has built an image of a robust and invincible leader over his two decades in reign. But this time, he appears vulnerable as the political landscape may be shifting in favour of his opponent, said Reuters in its report.
Erodgan has redrawn Turkiye's domestic, economic, security and foreign policy, rivalling historic leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who founded modern Turkey a century ago. The son of a sea captain, Erdogan faced stiff political headwinds ahead of Sunday's election.
He is already being blamed for an economic crisis when a devastating earthquake hit in February. Reuters mentioned that critics accused his government of a slow response and lax enforcement of building rules.
Erdogan amassed power around an executive presidency, ceased dissent, jailed critics and opponents and seized control of the media, judiciary and the economy. He almost crammed all public institutions with loyalists, Reuters said.
He, however, peppered the run-up with celebrations of industrial milestones, including the launch of Turkiye's first electric car and the inauguration of its first amphibious assault ship, built in Istanbul to carry Turkish-made drones.
Opinion Polls On Kilicdaroglu Vs Erdogan
Polls suggest that voting could go to a second round later this month - if neither Erdogan nor Kilicdaroglu win more than 50 per cent of the vote, while some show Erdogan trailing. Neither are good signals for Erdogan and hints at the depth of a cost-of-living crisis sparked by his unorthodox economic policies.
Opinion polls showed 74-year-old Kilicdaroglu holding an edge and possibly winning in a second-round vote, Reuters reported.
Critics say Kilicdaroglu lacks his opponent's bombastic style and domineering power to steer his alliance once elected, the report added.
If he wins, Kilicdaroglu faces challenges keeping an opposition alliance of six parties including nationalists, Islamists, secularists and liberals united. Notably his selection as a candidate came after a 72-hour dispute in which the leader of the second-biggest party, IYI's Meral Aksener, briefly walked out, the report stated further.
He once said a fundamental problem of Turkiye's foreign policy during the tenure of Erdogan's AKP was the exclusion of the foreign ministry in the policy-making process.
On the other hand, a Reuters report added that analysts say Erdogan, the country's longest-serving leader, is closer than ever to defeat despite the government's record fiscal spending on social aid ahead of the vote. The opinion polls show a tight race.
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