Don’t Look Away From What May Be Turkish Democracy’s Last Stand

Don’t Look Away From What May Be Turkish Democracy’s Last Stand by Joshua Rudolph and Nathan Kohlenberg May 11, 2023 Last Sunday, a week before the most hotly contested election in modern Turkish history, police stood by as fanatics supporting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pelted opposition politicians and their supporters with stones at a rally that had to be cut short for safety purposes. The scene produced shocking images: the vice-presidential candidate spoke under the shelter of umbrellas as rocks rained down, the campaign bus was smashed, and a small child cried as blood dripped down his face. Instead of condemning the political violence, regime officials said it was the candidate’s own fault for having the gall to deliver a strident campaign speech. More:Don’t Look Away From What May Be Turkish Democracy’s Last Stand