Saturday, April 22, 2023
Turkey Presidential Elections 2023: Would Erdogan Peacefully Concede to Kilicdaroglu?
What Happens When a Turkish President Loses an Election? No One Knows.
Erdogan has few role models for how to peacefully concede power.
APRIL 22, 2023, 6:00 AM
By Reuben Silverman, a researcher at Stockholm University’s Institute for Turkish Studies.
Turkey holds presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14. They could unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP), who have governed for the past 20 years. In that time, Erdogan and the AKP have left a deep mark on the country—expanding the role of Islam in the traditionally secular state and growing Turkey’s influence abroad. But years of unorthodox economic policy and a deadly February earthquake have undermined confidence in the government, leading many voters to question the reputation for competent administration that has traditionally been central to the AKP’s appeal.
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