Turkey: Political Analyst at newssit.gr on the electoral debacle of Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The political analyst, Oznur Kyuchuker Shiren, spoke to newsit.gr about their results in , CHP triumph and its crash . “The results of the municipal elections in Turkey are interesting, but in some ways were expected. Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party has fallen significantly, while the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has recorded a remarkable rise. He won municipalities in 36 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, securing 37% of the votes at national level and thus noting his strongest performance in 35 years,” says Oznur Kyuchuker Shiren in newsit.gr. “It is not a triumph of the opposition, but a failure of the ruling party” and political analyst Oznur Kyuchuker Shiren continues, asking the question: “How should we interpret these results? Is Erdogan’s party a failure or an opposition triumph? In view of the re-election of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the May 2023 presidential election, despite the ongoing issues in the country, it seems that almost a year later, his party presents a significant setback. In my opinion, says Oznur Kyuchuker Shiren it seems that citizens still want strong leadership, such as Erdogan’s, on the international stage, but are increasingly unhappy with his handling of internal issues. Therefore, we could say that this is not a triumph of the opposition, but a failure of the ruling party (AKP) which failed to meet the needs of the people adequately. These needs mainly include serious economic challenges, disputed immigration policies, as well as concerns in the Justice and Education systems.” “Erdoğan recovers after his failures” Regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s next moves, Oznur Kyuchuker Shiren points out: “The political skill and experience of Erdogan are undeniable. He will certainly take steps to revise his approach and better serve the needs of his constituents. History shows that it has the ability to recover and learn from failures, a feature of it that will probably guide him in the way he will “answer” this challenge.” Early election with Imamoglu running for president? Finally, regarding the movements of the main opposition and Erem Imamoglu, the political analyst estimates that “the results of the municipal elections may push the opposition to push for early elections in Turkey. Furthermore, it is easily understood that the Mayor of Istanbul, Erem Imamoglu, who came out strong from this election, is likely to consider a presidential nomination. Its future course will depend largely on how municipalities led by CHP manage the cities they have won,” it concludes.