2023-05-16 22:06:41
Kilicdaroglu is trying to woo the youth of Türkiye before facing Erdogan in the run-off
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rival in the Turkish presidential election, appealed to young voters on Tuesday to support him in the May 28 run-off, as part of his bid to prevent the president’s rule from extending the NATO member state for a third decade.
Davutoglu, the candidate of the six-party opposition alliance, took 45 percent of the vote in Sunday’s ballot, while Erdogan got 49.5 percent, just short of the majority needed to avoid a run-off. The vote is seen as a referendum on Erdogan’s rule.
Turkish assets fell for a second day, especially government bonds, corporate bonds and bank stocks, as investors expect Erdogan (69 years) to win another five-year term and continue his unconventional economic policies.
But Kiljdaroglu (74 years old) sought to highlight the positive side of the result.
And he wrote in a series of tweets addressed to those he described as the dear youth, saying, “There is a message of change that has emerged from the ballot boxes. Those who want change in this country are now more than those who do not want it,” referring to Erdogan’s failure to obtain 50 percent. .
But many of his supporters, including Esem who voted for the first time, were pessimistic regarding Davutoğlu’s chances in the run-off.
“I have less hope now,” said Asem, a 22-year-old student.
“I think there is an impasse here. On the one hand, there are nationalist (Turkish) voters, and on the other side there are Kurdish voters,” he said, referring to the broad coalition that supports Davutoglu, a soft-spoken former civil servant.
He added, “Only a skilled politician can snatch victory in this situation, and this person is not Kıldaroğlu, in my view.”
In parliamentary elections held at the same time, the People’s Alliance, which includes Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party, nationalist and Islamist parties, won as many as 322 of the 600 seats in the new parliament. The president thus achieved a majority that would enable him to say that voting for him would ensure stability.
A statement of the number of votes showed that the Justice and Development Party won first place, even in 10 of the 11 provinces hit by the devastating earthquakes, in February, in southeastern Turkey, which claimed the lives of more than 50 thousand people and displaced millions.
Analysts said that result showed that Erdogan’s promise to rebuild destroyed cities had reassured voters in areas that were mostly AKP strongholds.
“dark tunnel”
Kılıçdaroğlu, 74, is seducing young voters by referring to the cost of living crisis, which has been exacerbated in Turkey as a result of Erdogan’s insistence on cutting interest rates, which has caused a sharp drop in the value of the lira and an increase in inflation.
He addressed them, saying, “You do not have enough money for anything. I robbed you of the joy of life. You will never regain your youth once more. We have 12 days to get out of this dark tunnel.”
Young voters said they wanted better education, an end to nepotism and improved human rights. A poll conducted by the Kunda Research Foundation last year showed that regarding three-quarters of first-time voters, compared to 59 percent among the general population, believe that Erdogan’s victory in this presidential election would be bad for Turkey.
The vote is being watched closely in Washington, Europe and across the region as Erdogan consolidates his country’s power. He also strengthened ties with Russia, straining Ankara’s traditional alliance with the United States.
Nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan came third in the presidential elections, with 5.2 percent of the vote. The selection of his supporters on the 28th of this month will be a major focus now.
Ogan said in an interview with Archyde.com on Monday that he might only support Kilicdaroglu in the run-off if he agreed not to make concessions to a pro-Kurdish party, which might be in Erdogan’s interest.
Pre-election polls showed Erdoğan trailing Kılıçdaroğlu. But the results showed that Erdogan and his party succeeded in mobilizing conservative voters, despite the economic crisis.
Davutoğlu and his coalition want to restore the parliamentary system of government and abolish the strong presidential system introduced by Erdogan.
The Justice and Development Party came first in the parliamentary elections, with 267 deputies winning seats in the parliament, followed by the secular Republican People’s Party led by Kılıçdaroğlu, with 169 seats, while the pro-Kurdish party won 61 seats.
(Archyde.com)
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