Despite opposition, Erdogan to hold elections next May for fear of this.. Details

Despite stiff opposition and criticism, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is ramping up reconstruction efforts in the wake of two deadly earthquakes, sticking to the timetable he announced earlier.

Erdogan is seeking to boost his popularity before a possible blow to the economy. Last week, he held several meetings with senior leaders of the ruling Justice and Development Party to discuss the pros and cons of postponing the elections in order to focus on managing the fallout from the natural disaster, Bloomberg quoted informed sources as saying.

These sources explained that opinions tend to stick to the proposed timetable for voting next May 14, although a return to the original date that was set for June 18 is still on the table.

One source said that the option of holding the presidential elections in May is still on the table, even after two strong tremors hit Turkey on Monday in the same region that was struck by a devastating earthquake, according to Alhurra website today.

Earthquakes that devastated southeastern Turkey and Syria two weeks ago killed more than 42,000 people and destroyed entire cities, affecting campaigning that had been moving well before the disaster.

The quake-hit areas were home to some 8 million registered voters; The Supreme Election Council of Turkey is expected to decide how the vote will be held in those states, or whether it can be held there.

Earlier, the Turkish government announced that some two million voters had left the affected cities, villages and towns.

Observers say the natural disaster has caused much trouble for Erdogan, who has already been preparing for one of the toughest races in his two decades of rule.

The slow pace of his government’s response after the earthquakes, and the discovery of poor infrastructure and lack of buildings that did not meet standards for earthquake resistance, increased the burden on Erdogan, especially after the opening of an investigation and the arrest of many contractors and construction company owners.

“Erdogan has acknowledged delays in sending rescue teams, attributing this to harsh winter conditions, but his government and the military have denied that the response is inadequate.”

Sources believe that postponing the presidential elections may give the government more time to set priorities and address the crisis. Erdogan believes that a quick start to reconstruction efforts and sticking to the election timetable will be an effective way to show his power and influence.

Some sources indicated that the Turkish President is also afraid that the postponement of the vote will coincide with a further deterioration in the economy, especially since large segments of the population are suffering from the worst cost of living crisis in two decades.

In contrast, some Turkish opposition leaders insist on holding elections on June 18, while the leader of the opposition Future Party, Ahmet Davutoglu, said earlier that the elections cannot be postponed due to the devastating earthquake that has killed tens of thousands of Turks.

On January 22nd, Erdogan announced that May 14th would be the date for presidential and legislative elections in the country.