MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. Erdogan wins re election in Turkey’s second round runoff election; Biden and McCarthy skirt default, agree on a deal to raise the US debt ceiling; and Russia learning from combat experience to adjust tactics in Ukraine. These stories topped Monday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Media: Erdogan re elected in Turkey, places first in second round to stay in power
Incumbent Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan edged out opposition challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu by a margin of 4% to win the second round runoff election. Even as the opposition had a historic opportunity to take power, Erdogan, who has ruled as prime minister or president for 20 years already, managed to pull out a win after a fierce fight. The expert community thinks that Erdogan received a significant boost from enormous media resources as well as his rival’s lack of charisma. The election results also mean that Ankara’s foreign policy will not undergo any serious changes, including on the Russian track.
Turkey specialist Yury Mavashev told Kommersant that no sudden changes should have been expected in any event as regards Ankara’s relations with Russia. However, the incumbent’s victory automatically guarantees that the previous level of bilateral ties will be retained, at least at first. Erdogan wouldn’t have been able to begin with a clean slate anyway given that, just in time for the election, the Kremlin literally gifted him with the grain deal and a resolution of the Karabakh issue. Now it’s time [for him] to pay the bill for that. Additionally, Turkey and Russia have agreements on energy that extend for years into the future. However, on the Ukrainian track there may be many unpleasant surprises for the Russian side. Military and technical cooperation between Ankara and Kiev has been established and, of course, nobody is going to pull the plug on it. And another surprise, which is actually no surprise at all, will be Ankara ultimately giving its consent to the expansion of NATO to include Sweden. While Kilicdaroglu promised to support the [North Atlantic Alliance’s] expansion, it will be Erdogan who actually extends such support, the expert concluded.
Erdogan’s re election was in large part brought about by the incumbent’s aggressive rhetoric toward his opponents, Eastern studies scholar Ruslan Suleymanov told Vedomosti. The propaganda effect played its role. One must understand that about 90% of all media outlets in Turkey belong to Erdogan’s inner circle. Through them, the president promoted his agenda to voters and actively exploited the threat of terrorism in the country in the event of an opposition win, the expert noted.
That said, such fiery rhetoric was not typical of Erdogan in the past, says Ikbal Durre, associate professor at Moscow State Linguistic University. He came to power vowing to resolve the Kurdish issue, which had an effect. Now, on the wave of anti Kurdish attitudes he used the opposition’s cooperation with the Kurds against it, the expert noted.
According to Suleymanov, Erdogan could potentially revive the process of amending the current constitution to give himself even greater powers. At the same time, social and economic problems continue to deepen in Turkey, the expert noted. During his campaign, Erdogan did not talk much about the economy; this is an issue where he has not presented a well thought out program. And now he has nothing to offer. I think, in the future, the economic crisis will lead to political instability. Even with all of its extensive powers, the position of the leadership will prove to be rather shaky, the expert conclude |
