Turkey: the “unbeatable” Erdogan who knows how to bring “the votes to the polls”

2023-05-29 12:43:49

There is no shortage of qualifiers to describe the victory of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has already been in power for twenty years. In the Swiss media The weatherthe Head of State appears as “unbeatable”, when The evening, “Belgian daily”, describes it as “eternal”. Elected in the second round with 52.1% of the vote against his rival Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, he is seen by USA Today as an “almighty ruler”. However, some media did not hide their disappointment like the The standard (Austrian daily) which exclaims “Once again Erdogan”. Ditto with our Belgian neighbors who seem to regret that there was no “miracle” for the Turkish opposition embodied by Kemal Kiliçdaroglu.

The victory of the “oldest leader in Turkish political history” (The Republic) has been scrutinized by foreign media, proof that Turkey plays a key role on the international diplomatic scene. “Externally, Ankara has become an essential regional player, capable of provoking crises and resolving others”, maintains The weather. For his part, the Newspaper in Portugal goes so far as to speak of an “electoral odyssey” to describe the presidential campaign. At the end of this election, Recep Tayyip Erdogan proves, once again, that he knows how to “bring the votes to the polls”, explains the Greek daily Ta Nea.

For everyday Greeks Ta Nea, Erdogan won this election “literally standing alone against the world”. But the master of Turkey has especially benefited from strong support from his loyal supporters who call him “Baba” (dad in Turkish). Thus, a significant fringe of his sympathizers sees him as a “father figure”, admits the BBC. The British media believes that Kemal Kilicdaroglu “was not up to Erdogan’s well-rehearsed campaign”. In an attempt to unbolt the leader of Turkey, six opposition groups had formed an unprecedented unified bloc behind Kilicdaroglu in an attempt to wrest power from Erdogan.

“A deeply divided country”

On the contrary, this victory could galvanize the sixty-year-old in power, who could be perceived as “a kind of hero”, assures Jornal de Noticias au Portugal. In many media, the image of the survivor sticks to his skin. The political animal has, in fact, survived several political crises which, for some, have even strengthened it when it was in power. Jumble: mass demonstrations, an attempted military coup or even allegations of corruption. “The boss” (Berlingese) won his bet, but his victory will not make us forget the significant opposition in the country, which has displayed its anger towards the president known for his authoritarian excesses. The “Reis” therefore remains at the head of a “deeply divided and polarized country”, summarizes the BBC.

Same analysis on the side of the British daily The Guardian : “Erdoğan extended his two decades in power, winning over his rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu after an unprecedented presidential run-off, in a vote that reflected Turkey’s tough and persistent political polarization.” Indeed, his victory is certainly not “a plebiscite”, insists The Sun 24 hours (Italian daily). Between the economic crisis and the earthquake, the head of state appeared in bad shape on the eve of the ballot. “It’s not a crushing defeat for those who wanted change,” Asli Aydintasbas, a visiting scholar at the Brookings Institution, told Becky Anderson on US TV. CNN. “We are once again looking at a divided country…both sides want totally different things for Turkey.”

Among the challenges awaiting Recep Tayyip Erdogan: the recovery of the Turkish economy sums up the Spanish daily The country. Indeed, inflation undermines the daily lives of Turks – currently over 40% over one year. Apart from the local agenda, several issues are pressing on the international scene according to The duty, Canadian media: “The NATO allies are waiting, among other things, for Turkey to lift its veto on Sweden’s entry into the Atlantic Alliance, which has been blocked since May 2022.” One thing is certain: Westerners will have to continue to manage this “unpredictable” partner, as The evening.

But is Erdogan’s victory bad news for Westerners? Not really yet Telegraph, overseas : “Europe breathed a sigh of relief […] They won’t admit it, but continental leaders prefer Turkey to keep its distance from the European Union.”