Erdogan’s stumbles bring him to a fork in the road
Economic problems have loosened Turkish leader’s political grip
It is hard to overstate the blow to Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan represented by losing political control not just of Ankara but — most likely — Istanbul too. It was victories in Turkey’s two biggest cities 25 years ago that gave him his real political start; as he told party activists in 2017: “If we stumble in Istanbul, we lose our footing in Turkey.” Sunday’s shock regional election setbacks bring Mr Erdogan to a fork in the road — where he must choose between the pragmatism he is capable of, and his instinct to double down against opposition.
More:Erdogan’s stumbles bring him to a fork in the road | Financial Times
