Following Turkey’s highly-anticipated presidential election on May 14,
incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and opposition leader Kemal
Kılıçdaroğlu are headed to a runoff after both candidates failed to secure a
majority of the vote. The close contest follows two consecutive elections in
which Erdogan easily secured his victory, indicating that growing disapproval
of Erdoğan, leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), and the
coalescence of a united opposition against him has weakened the Turkish
president’s appeal among the country’s electorate.





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Ahead Of Presidential Runoff Election, Turkish Stance On Authoritarianism And
Extremism In The Balance



(New York, N.Y.) — Following Turkey’s highly-anticipated presidential election
on May 14, incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and opposition leader Kemal
Kılıçdaroğlu are headed to arunoff
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after both candidates failed to secure a majority of the vote. The close
contest follows two consecutive elections in which Erdogan easily secured his
victory, indicating that growing disapproval of Erdoğan, leader of theJustice
and Development Party
<[link removed]> (AKP), and the
coalescence of a united opposition against him has weakened the Turkish
president’s appeal among the country’s electorate.



Despite public opinion previously favoring Kılıçdaroğlu, Erdoğan edged out his
opposition, receiving 49.4 percent of the national vote to Kılıçdaroğlu’s 45
percent. Observers have pointed to several unaddressedirregularities
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, not least of which was the fact that Erdoğan’s candidacy for a third term was
unconstitutional
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. Additionally, Erdoğan expelled, arrested, and evenjailed
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international observers in the country invited by the leading Kurdish Peoples'
Democratic Party (HDP)—a key member of the opposition coalition—to monitor
election day activities, further compromising free and fair elections.



The prospect
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of five more years under AKP control presents grave concerns for the Turkish
people. Opposition voters expressedfrustrations
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surrounding Erdoğan’s failure to respond after February’s earthquake, his
authoritarian leadership tactics threatening Turkish democracy, and erosion of
freedom under the AKP. Furthermore, “Erdoğanism,” thenow-dominant
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Turkey’s ruling party, features tactics that stifle dissent and control the
media, bringing most outlets under government control. Erdoğan has also
targeted secular “white Turks,” claiming the Muslim “black Turks” are the
genuine owners of Turkey, which he believes must return to its former
Ottoman-era glory. AKP leaders have also demonstrated a tendency to oppress
vulnerable communities, including women and LGBT Turks.



However, Erdoğan has bolstered his image by projecting a tough posture against
theKurdistan Workers’ Party
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internationally
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designatedForeign Terrorist Organization
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deploys violence against those that threaten their goal of creating an
independent Kurdish state. AKP supportersbelieve
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that if Kılıçdaroğlu were to take power, Turkey’s fight against the PKK would
falter. The pro-government news outletDaily Sabah has even highlighted several
PKK leaders whovoiced
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their support for Kılıçdaroğlu’s presidential campaign ahead of Sunday’s
election.



To read the Counter Extremism Project (CEP)’s report on the PKK, please click
here <[link removed]>.



Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, presented himself as a moderate alternative
to Erdoğan, gaining united support from the six opposition parties, known as
“The Table of Six.” Kılıçdaroğlu has expressed adesire
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to repair Turkey’s relationship with the West, protect individual rights, and
restore democratic checks and balances. The runoff election will take place on
May 28 to determine whether Turkey will remain authoritarian for a third decade
or enter a new era of relations with Europe and the West.



To read CEP’s report Extremism in Erdoğan’s AKP, please click here
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