Turkey to Press Ahead with May Elections

Turkey will stick with its plans to hold elections in May, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, shutting down speculation that they would be postponed after last month’s earthquake displaced more than 1 million people. Erdoğan told lawmakers from his party on Wednesday that he plans to call for elections on May 14, the date he had signaled before the February 6 earthquake.

According to the World Bank, this announcement comes after the earthquake killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and neighboring Syria, leaving around 1.25 million people temporarily homeless. Some political analysts thought Erdoğan might delay the presidential and parliamentary elections partly due to the logistical issues in holding polls in such a volatile environment. In addition, Erdoğan’s government had faced criticism domestically over its early handling of the earthquake and rules put in place before the 2018 election that forgave millions of building faults.

Before the earthquake, Erdoğan was already lodged in his toughest election campaign in two decades in power as a severe cost of living crisis dented his appeal. This announcement of the election date is seen as an attempt to steady the ship and gain the support of the public.

Related Facts

• The earthquake killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and neighboring Syria.
• Erdoğan has been in power for two decades.
• The election is scheduled for May 14.

Key Takeaway

Turkey is pressing ahead with its plans to hold elections in May despite the devastating earthquake that occurred last month. Erdoğan hopes to gain the public’s support and steady the ship with this announcement.

Conclusion

Erdoğan’s announcement of the election date indicates that he is determined to move forward despite the devastation caused by the earthquake. However, it remains to be seen how the public will respond to this decision and whether it will be enough to secure Erdoğan’s position as president.