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Turkey election: Opposition dares to dream of Erdogan defeat

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Turkey’s President Erdogan is facing a strong opposition in the upcoming elections, as his main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu has managed to unite allies from various political backgrounds. Kilicdaroglu, accompanied by his supporters, delivered a passionate speech in Ankara, promising to restore “peace and democracy.”

Erdogan, who has been in power for two decades, defended his record, claiming that he has successfully overcome numerous challenges, including the struggling economy and devastating earthquakes in February. The issues of the economy and natural disasters have been the focal points of the campaign for both the presidency and parliament.

Kilicdaroglu, aged 74, is known for his soft-spoken nature, but he delivered a strong speech that resonated with those who see him as their best chance to regain power from Erdogan, who has centralized authority and expanded his own powers significantly.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the main opposition candidate, is slightly leading in the opinion polls, and his supporters are hopeful that he might secure more than 50% of the vote, avoiding a run-off election in two weeks.

The alliance supporting Kilicdaroglu includes conservatives, nationalists, and even a pro-Islamist party, which has delighted many of his followers. Kilicdaroglu’s party maintains a strong secular stance but has made efforts to appeal to women who wear the headscarf. The six parties in the alliance have come together under the slogan “Haydi” (Come on!) and have a campaign song of the same name.

Tensions are running high in the lead-up to the election. Kilicdaroglu even wore a bullet-proof vest during his final rally in Ankara and at a previous event, highlighting the intensity of the race.

Muharrem Ince, one of the candidates for the presidency, withdrew from the race, citing targeted attacks on social media with manipulated videos aimed at swaying the electorate. The atmosphere surrounding the election has become both tense and crucial.

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Turkey elections: Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu offer stark choices for presidency

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Turkey stands at a critical juncture as its citizens must choose between two leading contenders for the presidency, each offering distinct visions for the future of the country.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has held power for over 20 years, pledges to establish a robust and collaborative Turkey, aiming to generate six million job opportunities. Erdogan also accuses the Western world of attempting to undermine his leadership. His political party, rooted in Islamism, aligns itself with traditional family values, while he portrays his opponents as “pro-LGBT.”

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Erdogan’s main rival, enjoys broad support from the opposition and advocates for steering Turkey towards a more democratic and pro-Western position. He plans to revert the country, which is a NATO member, to a parliamentary system with a prime minister at the helm. Kilicdaroglu seeks to restore the independence of the judiciary, promote a free press, and position himself as an impartial leader, detached from any political party.

Erdogan currently wields extensive presidential powers, having governed under a state of emergency since 2017. Some believe that if he secures another term, there may not be significant changes as his authority is already substantial, and he may not seek to expand it further. Conversely, Kilicdaroglu aims to dismantle the presidential system and adopt a more impartial leadership approach, prioritizing the interests of all 85 million Turkish citizens.

These elections have far-reaching implications for Turkey’s trajectory, with Erdogan championing a strong and multilateral Turkey, while Kilicdaroglu advocates for a return to pro-Western policies, bolstered democracy, and independent institutions such as the judiciary and media.

In addition to Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kemal Kilicdaroglu, there are five other parties in Kilicdaroglu’s alliance, each of which would have a vice president. Furthermore, Erdogan’s party colleagues who serve as mayors of Ankara and Istanbul would also hold vice presidential positions.

Before completely abolishing the powerful presidency, Kilicdaroglu’s coalition might need to utilize the presidency’s extensive powers to implement reforms if they lack sufficient control over the parliament.

Both parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled to take place on May 14th. While Turkey is a member of NATO, Erdogan’s presidency has pursued close relationships with China and Russia. This includes the procurement of a Russian S-400 air defense system and the inauguration of Turkey’s first Russian-built nuclear plant, signaling closer ties with Russia ahead of the elections.

Erdogan advocates for a multilateral approach, positioning Turkey as a “haven of peace and security.” He also presents Ankara as a potential mediator in the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. On the other hand, Kilicdaroglu and his allies aim to revive Turkey’s EU accession process and restore military ties with the United States while maintaining relations with Russia.

Should Erdogan remain in power, Selim Koru believes that he will continue to steer Turkey away from the West while retaining its NATO membership. Erdogan envisions a future where Turkey’s NATO affiliation becomes less relevant in the medium to long term.

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Dog diplomacy: Turkey sends Mexico puppy after search dog’s death

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Mexico is receiving a German Shepherd puppy from Turkey as a token of gratitude for Mexico’s search and rescue dogs’ help during February’s earthquake in Turkey. The puppy is intended to continue the legacy of Proteo, a Mexican rescue dog who passed away during the rescue operations.

The Mexican Ministry of Defense has asked people to vote on one of three names for the puppy: Proteo II, Arkadas, or Yardim. Mexico has specialized civilian and military teams with canine units that search for survivors during natural disasters.

These dogs gained popularity after saving several lives during the 2017 earthquake in central Mexico. When Turkey and Syria were struck by a massive earthquake in February, Mexico quickly deployed rescue teams with search dogs to assist in finding survivors.

During the rescue mission in Turkey, Proteo, a nine-year-old German Shepherd, located a man and a woman under the rubble before he died from exhaustion, according to his trainer. Proteo’s remains were returned to Mexico, where he was honoured in a ceremony before being buried.

Mexico’s Ministry of Defense, on its Facebook page, expressed gratitude for the puppy donated by Turkey, and hoped it would continue Proteo’s legacy in their search and rescue missions.

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Turkey’s Erdogan falls ill on TV and cancels election rallies

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has halted election campaigning after falling ill during a live TV interview. The broadcast abruptly ended, and after a 20-minute break, he returned to explain that he had contracted a serious stomach flu after two days of intense campaigning.

Erdogan, who is 69 years old, is facing a challenging election campaign, with main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu being selected to run for a group of six political parties.

The latest polls show a close race between the two men, with Kilicdaroglu having a good chance of winning the election on May 14, with a possible presidential run-off two weeks later. On Wednesday, Erdogan cancelled three appearances in central Anatolia on the advice of doctors.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cancelled his scheduled events on Thursday, including the opening of Turkey’s first nuclear power station at Akkuyu, due to his illness. The nuclear power station’s inauguration was supposed to coincide with the upcoming election, but Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin will now attend online instead. During a live broadcast on Tuesday, Erdogan fell ill, causing the screen to go blank.

He returned after a break to explain that he had a serious stomach flu. There were speculations on social media that Erdogan had suffered a heart attack, but his head of communications, Fahrettin Altun, rejected the baseless claims and posted screenshots of the accounts spreading the allegations on social media.

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Turkish journalists detained over earthquake reports

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The catastrophic earthquake that shook Turkey on February 6th struck 200 miles from the epicentre, where freelance journalist Mir Ali Koçer was located. He drove down to the damaged area, picked up his camera and microphone, and began interviewing survivors.

On Twitter, he posted accounts of rescuers and survivors. He is currently being investigated for allegedly spreading “false news” and could spend up to three years in prison. At least four journalists are being looked into for reporting or making comments on the earthquake, including him.

Several more have reportedly been imprisoned, intimidated, or prevented from reporting, according to press freedom organisations. Turkey and Syria both experienced earthquakes that resulted in at least 50,000 fatalities. The detentions have not been addressed by the Turkish government.

Mr. Koçer, a Kurd who writes for pro-opposition news outlets like Bianet and Duvar, was smoking on his balcony in the southeast Turkish city of Diyarbakir the night of the earthquake when his two dogs started barking out of the blue.

Afterwards, he recalled how they had yelled in a similar manner in 2020, shortly before a lesser earthquake struck eastern Turkey.

After leaving Diyarbakir, Mr. Koçer went to Gaziantep. He was horrified to see images of carnage and victims suffering in subfreezing temperatures in villages close to the earthquake’s epicentre.

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Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu found dead after Turkey earthquake

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According to his agent, the body of former Premier League player and Ghanaian Christian Atsu was discovered in Turkey’s earthquake debris.

Atsu, 31, was wrongly reported to have been rushed to the hospital last week. He was really playing for Super Lig team Hatayspor following earlier stops at Newcastle United and Everton.

After the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6 and killed tens of thousands of people, he had been reported missing in Antakya.

Nana Sechere tweeted: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning. My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support. I ask that whilst we make the necessary arrangements, that everyone would please respect the privacy of the family during this very difficult time.”

After spending a portion of his boyhood at the Feyenoord academy in Ghana, Atsu joined Porto in 2011 and then signed with Chelsea for a sum of £3.5 million two years later. He was loaned to Vitesse, Bournemouth, Everton, and Málaga and did not play for the Blues’ first team.

Atsu had a fruitful loan season with Newcastle in 2016–17, and the following year, he committed permanently to the team for £6.2 million. He played with the Magpies for 75 games before moving on to Al-Raed in Saudi Arabia and then Hatayspor. On February 5, the day before two tragic earthquakes shook southeast Turkey, Atsu entered the game as a replacement and scored the game-winning goal against Kasimpasa.

Outside from football, Atsu served as an ambassador for the children’s charity Arms Around the Child, which has offices in Ghana, South Africa, and India and offers homes, protection, support, and education for kids.

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Quake-hit Turkey issues 113 building arrest warrants

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According to Turkish authorities, 113 arrest warrants have been issued in relation to the building of the structures that were destroyed by the earthquake on Monday. There have already been at least 12 people detained by Turkish police, including construction workers.

Rescue operations have been hampered in some areas due to protests in southern Turkey. More than 28,000 individuals have now been officially declared dead in Turkey and Syria.

More arrests are anticipated, but many will interpret the move as an effort to shift responsibility for the catastrophe in general.

Since many new buildings in Turkey are unsafe because of widespread corruption and government practises, experts have been warning about this for years.

In order to promote a construction boom, including in earthquake-prone areas, those rules permitted so-called amnesties for contractors who flouted building regulations.

The earthquake caused the collapse of thousands of buildings, prompting concerns about whether human error contributed to the severity of the natural disaster. After 20 years in office, the president’s future is in jeopardy as elections approach.

The United Nations’ top humanitarian official, who was in the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras on Saturday, called the earthquake the “worst occurrence in this region in 100 years.”

For the first time in 35 years, the Turkish-Armenian border crossing reopened on Saturday to permit the passage of aid.

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Turkey and Syria earthquake: Bodies found in search for volleyball team

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Following Monday’s earthquakes, rescuers in Turkey are looking for a group of school volleyball players inside a collapsed hotel when they discover three bodies. Officials in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus reported that the bodies of two teachers and a student were found in the Isias Hotel in Adiyaman.

39 individuals, including teams for both boys and girls, are alleged to have been present when the structure collapsed. The location, where the relatives of the players have gathered, is still under search.

In southern Turkey and northern Syria, the earthquakes have claimed thousands of lives. Along with their coaches and parents, the players had travelled to Adiyaman from Famagusta Turkish Maarif College.

Four members of the group are known to have survived the collapse of the seven-story building, having apparently made their own way out of the rubble.

Officials were quoted by Turkish-Cypriot media as claiming that an eighth-grade student was recovered after the bodies of two instructors were discovered on Wednesday, bringing the total number of fatalities to three.

Around 170 people, including family members and rescuers, have travelled to the wreckage from the portion of Northern Cyprus that is under Turkish control. They would stay there until the remaining pupils were located, according to an island education official.

One of the mothers at the scene questioned the structures’ construction and inquired as to whether they had undergone sufficient inspection.

It is known that deaths occurred in the two countries for close to 16,000 people. The World Health Organization has cautioned that without food, water, shelter, fuel, or electricity, many more people risk dying.

More than 72 hours after the disaster happened, expectations are dwindling for the numerous people left under wrecked structures as freezing weather creeps in.

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Turkey earthquake: Erdogan ‘responsible for this’ opposition leader says

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After thousands of people killed in two devastating earthquakes on Monday, anger in Turkey is building over what many see as the government’s lack of preparation. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the official death toll in Turkey has increased to 9,057 while visiting one of the worst-affected areas.

He is to blame for the extent of the destruction, according to the main opposition leader. Mr. Erdogan retaliated, claiming it was “impossible” to be ready for such a significant tragedy.

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority’s (AFAD) response was criticised by many in the worst-affected districts as being too delayed. Others claim that the government wasn’t adequately ready in advance.

“If there is one person responsible for this, it is Erdogan,” said Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey’s main opposition party.

The president disagreed with this. Additionally, he called “provocateurs” individuals who claimed that security officers had not been present at all in certain locations.

“This is a time for cooperation and support. I can’t stand it when people run smear campaigns for political gain during this time “He told the Hatay reporters.

He recognised some initial issues, but said the situation was now “under control” during another stop on his tour of sites in the disaster zone earlier today.

Tuesday, Arzu Dedeoglu said that two of her nieces were buried beneath the debris in the port city of Iskenderun in the southern region of Turkey. She claimed that although her family had arranged a digger using their own funds to remove the rubble, officials did not permit them to utilise it.

A “tax” imposed by the Turkish government in the wake of a devastating earthquake that claimed more than 17,000 lives in 1999 is also causing increasing outrage.

The estimated 88 billion lira ($4.6 billion; £3.8 billion) was intended for spending on emergency services improvement and disaster prevention.

Every time Turkey experiences an earthquake, questions concerning the “special communication tax,” as the authorities refer to it, are raised. However, the government has never made the money’s use public.

And Mr. Kilicdaroglu claimed that the government of Mr. Erdogan “had not made an earthquake preparation in 20 years.”

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Turkey earthquake: Erdogan announces three-month state of emergency in quake area

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In 10 of the regions most severely impacted by the earthquake that has killed thousands of people, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency.

3,549 people have now died in Turkey, according to Mr. Erdogan. There have reportedly been 1,600 fatalities in Syria. In a televised speech, Mr. Erdogan stated that the purpose of declaring a state of emergency is to allow for “expeditiously carried out” rescue operations in the nation’s southeast.

Without providing more information, he said the steps will get aid personnel and money into the impacted areas. Just prior to the elections on May 14, when Mr. Erdogan will try to retain his position as president after 20 years, the state of emergency will end.

The last time a state of emergency was enacted in Turkey was in 2016 following a failed coup. Two years later, it was repealed. In a race against time to locate survivors of the earthquake that occurred early on Monday, rescuers in Turkey are facing heavy rain and snow.

The World Health Organization has issued a warning that the death toll may sharply increase as rescuers discover additional fatalities.

In scenes that were repeated around southern Turkey, heavy equipment worked through the night in the city of Adana, with lights lighting the collapsed buildings and enormous slabs of concrete.

Occasionally, when a survivor was discovered or when the dead were collected, the labour would stop and a cry of “Allahu Akbar” would be heard.

People who lost their homes as well as others who are afraid of aftershocks are all homeless in Adana. Some people departed without their shoes, coats, or phone chargers. Later this week, temperatures are predicted to fall below freezing.

According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred on Monday at 04:17 (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9 km (11 miles) close to the city of Gaziantep.

Later, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in the Elbistan region of the Kahramanmaras province occurred. The main road leading to the Turkish city of Maras, which is close to the epicentre of the earthquake, was completely stopped in traffic on Tuesday morning.

Cars periodically plodded forward, their red brake lights illuminating the slick road. Only a few rescuers have so far arrived in this region of southern Turkey.

One search and rescue crew, on their way to the city with their van stocked with specialised tools and supplies, told the BBC that while they were excited to start searching for survivors, they were unaware of the extent of the destruction.

According to the most recent announcement from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), 8,000 people have been saved nationwide from more than 4,700 demolished buildings.

Rescuers in some regions have been sifting through the debris with their bare hands as the aftershocks continue. But the cold is making it difficult to conduct searches.

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