Turkey’s verdict: AKP triumphs, but President Erdogan must abandon his autocratic streak
November 3, 2015, 12:06 am IST TOI Edit in TOI Editorials | Edit Page | TOI
In a surprise result, parliamentary elections in Turkey have returned the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) with a majority. The snap polls were necessary since elections in June had thrown up a hung parliament with AKP losing its previous majority. Those polls had also seen the pro-Kurdish HDP make significant gains at AKP’s expense. But that trend appears to have been reversed, bolstering Turkish President and AKP founder Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s hold over Turkish politics. Erdogan’s 13-year stint – first as prime minister and now president – has seen substantial economic growth in Turkey. However, his regime also stands accused of diluting Turkish secularism, curbing rights and hounding political opponents. That Turkey ranks among the world’s most prolific jailers of journalists further exemplifies Erdogan’s autocratic streak. In the latest polls, AKP was accused of polarising Turkish voters by renewing conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Add to this the deadly twin suicide bombings in Ankara – blamed on terrorists linked to the Islamic State – that killed 102 people last month, and AKP spread the word that only it could ensure stability in Turkey – which may have contributed to its victory. It’s now up to Erdogan and AKP to prove their critics wrong.
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