Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu Prepare for Tense Presidential Election Showdown in 2023

The Turkish political landscape continues to be as eventful and unpredictable as ever with the country’s two main political rivals, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the head of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, preparing for a tense showdown in the upcoming 2023 presidential elections.

Erdoğan, who has been in power since 2003, has been the dominant force in Turkish politics for almost two decades, with his party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), winning every election since 2002. However, the AKP’s popularity has been waning in recent years, with the country facing economic instability, rising unemployment, and a crackdown on opposition voices.

On the other hand, Kılıçdaroğlu has been steadily building support for his CHP party, which has been the traditional opposition force in Turkish politics. The CHP, which has been in existence since 1923, won the parliamentary elections in Istanbul in 2019, a significant victory that gave the party a boost and led Erdoğan’s AKP to demand a rerun of the election.

The upcoming 2023 presidential elections are expected to be the most hotly contested in recent Turkish history, with both Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu looking to gain an advantage. Erdoğan has already started his campaign, promising new infrastructure projects and tax cuts to boost the economy, while Kılıçdaroğlu has been focusing on social issues, such as women’s rights, as well as criticizing the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The elections likely will center on Turkey’s economy, which has been struggling with high inflation and a high foreign debt build-up. The government was forced to increase taxes to cover the costs of the coronavirus pandemic, which hit the economy hard, resulting in widespread job losses and a sharp increase in the number of people living in poverty.

The opposition party accuses Erdoğan of authoritarianism and dismantling Turkey’s democracy, a criticism echoed by international agencies and human rights groups. The government in Ankara has faced severe criticism from the international community over its intervention in Syria, violations of human rights, and its opposition to freedom of the press.

Regardless of who wins the presidency, the outcome of the 2023 elections is likely to have far-reaching consequences for Turkey’s political system, its relations with the international community, and its future economic trajectory. A peaceful and transparent election is critical to ensuring political stability and promoting democracy in the country, which is key to Turkey’s viability as a member of the international community.

As the two political heavyweights gear up for what is sure to be an explosive and closely fought presidential election, Turkey’s citizens, and the international community, will be watching closely, hoping for a fair and peaceful election that reflects the democratic principles that Turkey was founded upon in 1923.