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- 01.05.2023 08:18:00
- 4 min read
The opposition candidate Kamal Kıldıroğlu promised to end authoritarian rule in the country and return to the parliamentary republic.
Presidential elections will be held in Turkey on 14 may. Recep Toyyib Erdoğan ran for election to a new term, but he may lose. The main opponent of the current president is the 74-year-old opposition candidate, deputy of the Turkish Parliament, Leader of the Republican People's party Kamal Sabirdoroğlu. Polls show that he and Erdoğan have approximately equal chances of winning. The swordsman is even leading by a small margin. Polls conducted by the metropolis in April showed that 42.6% of voters were willing to vote for the sword-bearer, while 41.1% wanted to support Erdoğan.
Two other candidates were listed in the election. They are Muharrem Injye, leader of Memleket (Motherland) Party, and Sinan O'gan, a former MP in the Turkish parliament. According to polls, 5% of voters intend to vote for Injye, and just over 2% for O'gan.
The Kamal Swordsman calls for a"Democratic end to the repressive system". "This is an election of those who defend democracy against authoritarian rule," he said in an interview with Time magazine. Sabordoroğlu is in favor of restoring Turkey to the form of government of the parliamentary republic, which existed until 2018. According to the results of the 2017 constitutional referendum, the decision to transfer Turkey to the presidential republic was approved.
The swordsman believes that Turkey should remain a "mediator" in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This was reported by his advisor Unal Chevikoz to Politico. At the same time, he claimed that Turkey had developed a "disproportionate" relationship with Russia "because it was too attached to the imports of Russian energy carriers".
"We emphasize that Turkey is a member of NATO. In our negotiations with Russia, we, Of course, strive for equal relations, but remind Russia that Turkey is part of NATO," said the adviser to the sword — bearer.
Istanbul mayor Akrom Imamoğlu, who was expected to be Erdoğan's main opponent six months before the Turkish presidential election, was indicted by the court. He was convicted of defamation of members of the Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey (i.e. Election Commission) and sentenced to two years-seven and a half months ' imprisonment.
Imamoğlu had won the 2019 Istanbul mayoral election. The results of the vote were challenged by the ruling Justice and Development Party and new elections were set as a result. But in the new elections, Imamoglu will win again. The mayor's criminalization was motivated by his calling the annulment of the result of the first elections "stupidity".
On 26 April, during a live-broadcast conversation with journalists, Erdoğan's tobi escaped. The interview began an hour and a half later than planned. Wheezing voices are heard in the cast recordings behind the frame. Erdoğan himself was not photographed in this case, the camera was immediately directed at the journalist asking questions. The interview resumed after a 20-minute break. Erdoğan went to the journalists and said that he had a cold stomach.
Erdoğan is 69 years old. Rumors spread on social networks that he had a heart attack (heart attack). The Turkish presidential administration denied these reports. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oğtoy said Erdoğan had a "mild cold", but his health was "very good".
Erdoğan then began to cancel successive campaign events. The most important of these was the interview, which was broadcast on four TV channels. In addition, the president of Turkey personally refused to take part in the ceremony of supplying fuel to the Aesi "Oqquyu", which is being built by Rosatom. Erdoğan attended the ceremony via video, just like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Our country has become one of the countries with nuclear power with a 60 — year delay," Erdoğan said and thanked Putin for the construction of the station. Before the ceremony, Erdoğan and Putin had a telephone conversation discussing Russia's war with Ukraine and the grain agreement. The details of this conversation are unknown.
Erdoğan has been serving as president of Turkey since 2014, but in practice he has been leading the country since 2003, when he took office as prime minister. In 2018, he was elected president for a second term, at the same time the decision to switch from parliamentary form of government to presidential rule came into force in Turkey.
In 2016, there was an attempted military coup in Turkey. After the failure of this coup, Erdoğan begins repression in the country. Hundreds of thousands of people, including military, journalists, teachers of educational institutions, suffered from repression. A common theory is that Erdoğan expected an attempt to revolt in the country, but did not prevent it from the former, and intended to use this rebellion to strengthen his authority.
