Turkey’s President Erdogan retains power and now faces challenges over economy and post-earthquake recovery – CBS17.com

ANKARA, Turkey (`) – Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a mandate to rule until 2028, securing five more years as leader of a country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia that plays a key role in NATO. He must now contend with skyrocketing inflation that has fueled a cost-of-living crisis and rebuild after a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people.

Erdogan secured more than 52% of the vote in Sunday’s presidential runoff, two weeks after failing to secure an overall victory in the first round. His opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, had tried to reverse Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies by promising to return to democratic norms, introduce more conventional economic policies and improve relations with the West. But in the end, voters chose the man they see as a strong, proven leader.

In two speeches in Istanbul and Ankara, Erdogan thanked the nation for trusting him with the presidency again.

“The only winner today is Turkey,” Erdogan said outside the presidential palace in Ankara, promising to work hard for Turkey’s second century, which he dubbed the “Turkish century.” The country is celebrating its centenary this year.

Kilicdaroglu said the election was “the most unfair ever” as all state resources were mobilized for Erdogan.

“We will continue to be at the forefront of this struggle until real democracy comes to our country,” he said in Ankara.

Supporters of Erdogan, a divisive populist and master orator, took to the streets to celebrate, waving Turkish or ruling party flags, honking car horns and shouting his name. Solemn shots were heard in several districts of Istanbul.

Heads of state and government around the world sent their congratulations and stressed the expanded role of Turkey and Erdogan in world politics. His next term is sure to include more delicate maneuvers with other NATO members over the future of the alliance and the war in Ukraine.

Western politicians have said they are ready to continue working with Erdogan despite years of relations, some of which have been strained. Most urgently, Turkey holds Sweden’s hopes of joining NATO. The aim of the offer is to strengthen the military alliance against Russia. Turkey is also central to the continuity of a deal that will allow Ukrainian grain supplies and avert a global food crisis.

In his victory speech, Erdogan said rebuilding cities hit by the earthquake was his priority. He also said a million Syrian refugees would return to Turkey-controlled “safety zones” in Syria as part of a resettlement project implemented with Qatar.

Erdogan has garnered the support of conservative voters, who remain loyal to him, for raising the profile of secular-principled Islam in Turkey and increasing the country’s influence in international politics.

Erdogan’s rival was a mild-mannered former official who has led the pro-secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) since 2010. It took the opposition months to unite behind Kilicdaroglu. He and his party have not won any elections in which Erdogan ran.

In a desperate attempt to reach nationalist voters in the runoff, Kilicdaroglu had vowed to turn back refugees and ruled out peace talks with Kurdish militants if elected.

Erdogan and pro-government media portrayed Kilicdaroglu, who garnered the support of the country’s pro-Kurdish party, as collaborating with “terrorists” and supporting what they described as “deviant” LGBTQ rights.

In his victory speech, Erdogan reiterated these themes, saying LGBTQ people cannot “infiltrate” his ruling party or its nationalist allies.

Erdogan transformed the presidency from a largely ceremonial role into a powerful office with a narrowly won referendum in 2017 that abolished Turkey’s parliamentary system of government. He was the first directly elected president in 2014 and won the 2018 election that ushered in the office of executive president.

Erdogan is now serving his second term as President under the Executive Presidency. He could run again for another term if parliament – in which his ruling party and their allies hold the majority – calls snap elections. The number of terms was a point of contention in the run-up to the elections, with critics arguing that Erdogan could not run again as he held the post before the system change. However, he cited the constitutional amendments that introduced the Executive Presidency as justification.

The first half of Erdogan’s tenure included reforms that allowed the country to start talks about joining the European Union and economic growth that lifted many people out of poverty.

But he later suppressed freedoms and the media and concentrated more power in his own hands, particularly after a failed coup attempt that Turkey says was engineered by US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen. The priest denies involvement.

___

Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul. Bela Szandelszky in Ankara, Türkiye; Mujahit Ceylan in Diyarbakir, Türkiye; and Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Türkiye, contributed to this report.