Trump Foe Turkey’s Erdogan Loses Big in Local Elections
Local elections took place in Turkey on Sunday. There was a stunning change in the political landscape which bodes well for Turkey’s citizens, for U.S. relations with Turkey and maybe even for the rest of the world.
Five years ago Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) acquired an iron grip through a virtual landslide. In the 2014 elections, the leading opposition parties were successful in only a few of Turkey’s 81 provinces, all located on the coasts.
But on Sunday, several parties took a huge bite out of Erdogan’s standing. In Turkey’s capital city of Ankara, Erdogan’s party was defeated. The Main Opposition Party (CHP) reported victories in five of Turkey’s six largest cities including Istanbul, Erdogan’s hometown, and Izmir. The final results show a slim majority for the AKP, but that can hardly be understood as a win for Erdogan.
WHY TURKEY’S LOCAL ELECTIONS SHOULD MATTER TO AMERICANS
Turkey has the largest economy in the Middle East and in Eastern Europe, though Turkey has few natural resources. It is an industry-driven economy. Also, Turkey has the second largest army in the National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).