01 June, 2023: Tayyip Erdogan wins the presidential run off yet again, creating history! Read to know more about the once professional football player.
According to the country's Supreme Election Council and unofficial results from the state-run Anadolu Agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been re-elected in a stiff run-off after falling short of the required majority of votes.
According to the Supreme Election Council, Mr. Erdogan defeated his opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu with 52.14 percent of the vote in the second round of voting . Mr. Kilicdaroglu garnered 47.86 percent of the vote.
Mr. Erdogan has already surpassed Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who established the Republic of Turkey, who served as president for 15 years. The 69-year-old , who is considering serving a second term as president, overcame Turkey's worst economic crisis in decades and a unified opposition to seize power.
Know Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan better:
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was born on February 26, 1954, in Istanbul, Turkey. He grew up in Kasımpaşa, a working-class neighborhood, and attended Marmara University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, where he studied business administration.
Erdoğan became involved in politics during his university years and joined the National Turkish Student Union, an organization with Islamic leanings. In 1983, he became the head of the Istanbul branch of the Welfare Party, a conservative political party with Islamic roots. Erdoğan's rise within the party was swift, and he eventually became the party's deputy chairman in 1984.
In 1994, Erdoğan was elected mayor of Istanbul, marking his first significant political position. During his tenure as mayor, he implemented several urban development projects and gained popularity for his pragmatic approach to governance. However, his tenure was also marked by clashes with secularist factions in the country, which would later have repercussions on his political career.
In 2001, Erdoğan founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP) with like-minded politicians, positioning it as a center-right party promoting conservative values and market-oriented policies.
The AKP won a majority in the 2002 general elections, and Erdoğan, who had become the party's leader, became the Prime Minister of Turkey.
During his time as Prime Minister (2003-2014), Erdoğan implemented a range of reforms, including economic liberalization measures, healthcare and education reforms, and infrastructure development projects. His government also pursued EU membership negotiations and played a more assertive role in regional and global affairs.
In 2014, Erdoğan was elected as Turkey's first directly elected President, a position with increased executive powers following a constitutional referendum in 2017. During his presidency, Erdoğan faced significant challenges, including a failed coup attempt in 2016 and escalating tensions with opposition groups, the media, and human rights organizations. His government's approach to these challenges has been a subject of criticism from various quarters.
Erdoğan's tenure as President has also been marked by controversial domestic and foreign policy decisions, including a crackdown on dissent, increased control over the judiciary, and military operations in Syria. His leadership style and policies have polarized Turkish society1, with supporters praising him for his strong leadership and conservative values, while critics accuse him of authoritarian tendencies and against the idea of democracy.
It is important to note that Erdoğan's political career and presidency have been highly controversial, with strong opinions on both sides. Assessments of his impact and legacy vary, depending on one's perspective and the issues being considered.
A polarized society1 means that people in a country or community have very strong differences of opinion and often disagree with each other. Instead of finding common ground or compromise, they may become divided into two or more groups that see things very differently and have difficulty understanding each other's perspectives. This can make it challenging for people to work together or find solutions that everyone can agree on.
Mr. Erdogan's victory gives him the authority to maintain his more autocratic leadership, which has divided Turkey and boosted its status as a regional military superpower.
After having already reshaped domestic, financial safety, and international policy in the NATO member country of 85 million people, this triumph will help to solidify Erdogan's perception of his supremacy and invincibility. "Turkey isn't what it was in the old days. There is a new Turkey today," he said.
However, Erdogan's crackdowns on protest and adoption of a tough foreign policy have raised increasing alarm throughout the Western community. He carried out attacks into Syria that upset European nations and pitted Turkish soldiers against US-backed Kurdish fighters.
The conflict waged by the Russian government against Ukraine has not affected his personal friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Erdogan was able to lavishly fund his campaign promises this year because of a crucial delay of payment on Russian energy imports, which is helping Turkey's struggling economy. Mr. Erdogan also postponed Finland's admission to NATO and continues to oppose Sweden's admission to the US-led military alliance.
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The biggest immediate challenge for the winner of the election will be Turkey's faltering economy. Mr. Erdogan stated that he would continue to place a high priority on mending the damage left by the February earthquakes and reconstructing the cities and towns that were completely destroyed. “Our hearts and hands will continue to be on the earthquake region,” Mr. Erdogan said.