Several criticisms have been leveled at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the run-up to the presidential elections. Many observers see the election platform as nothing new in the policies the Turkish President has been pursuing before, confirming that the chances of the opposition are higher in the elections.

Multiple crises

A Reuters report revealed that the draft platform of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reveals a return to more traditional policies on the free market economy. Erdogan’s popularity was mainly affected by falling living standards as a result of the devaluation of the Turkish lira, at a time when Ankara has begun following a “controversial” economic model based on lower interest rates, according to Reuters.

Economic failures

In 2021, Turkey embarked on a series of interest-rate cuts in the face of high inflation, defying conventional monetary policy and reversing the global trend of interest-rate increases, and the Turkish Central Bank cut interest rates by 500 basis points in 2021, again in 2022 after Erdoğan called the cuts.

Turkey’s financial problems were also exacerbated when a massive earthquake hit its southern regions on February 6, displacing millions and causing billions of dollars in losses.

The people are angry

Turkey expert Mehmet Mustafa says: The opposition’s endorsement of Kemal Kılıcdaroglu is a surprise for President Erdogan, who has been betting on its failure to agree on a single presidential candidate, boosting his chances of winning the upcoming election in the first round. Although the opposition’s success in agreeing on a presidential candidate may boost its chances in this election, Oglu’s naming presents several challenges and opportunities at the same time.

The expert on Turkish affairs added that Erdogan has failed to achieve anything new for his country, and that there is a state of intense anger by the Turkish people, and that they are seeking to push against him, and there will be a much greater chance for Kemal Oglu, pointing out that there is a deep anger at the main draft of Erdogan’s electoral program, which will be a fatal blow against him.