ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his historic re-election as President of Republic of Turkiye secured his victory in second round of presidential elections after first round failed to produce candidate with required 50 percent of votes. Turks vote in presidential runoff that saw Tayyip Erdogan extend his rule into third decade and intensify Turkiye’s increasingly authoritarian path, muscular foreign policy and unorthodox economic governance.

Erdogan (69) and Kilicdaroglu (74-candidate of six-party opposition alliance) leads Republican Peoples’ Party created by Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Third-place presidential candidate and hardline nationalist Sinan Ogan said he endorsed Erdogan based on principle of “Non-stop struggle against terrorism”.A closely-watched survey by pollster Konda for runoff put support for Erdogan on 52.7 percent and Kilicdaroglu on 47.3 percent after distributing undecided voters. Polls opened at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) and close at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT). By late on Sunday there should be clear indication of winner. “More Erdogan means more Erdogan. People know who he is and what his vision for country is and it seems lot of them approve.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to twitter extended heartfelt congratulations to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his historic re-election as President of Republic of Turkiye.

Shehbaz Sharif referred to President Erdogan as his “Dear brother” and praised his politics, which he described as rooted in public service.  He highlighted Erdogan’s unwavering support for oppressed Muslims and his passionate advocacy for their fundamental rights.

He expressed confidence that bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkiye would continue to strengthen and flourish, emphasising upward trajectory of strategic partnership between two nations.

He eagerly anticipated opportunity to collaborate with President Erdogan, aiming to deepen their strategic partnership in line with strong brotherhood that exists between people of Pakistan and Turkiye.

Erdoğan rivals, including Kılıçdaroğlu, capitalized on growing discontent and campaigned on a pledge to reverse Turkey’s long slide toward authoritarianism. But Erdoğan was the favorite entering the second round of voting after he defied polls and emerged as the clear frontrunner with a nearly-five percentage point lead over Kılıçdaroğlu earlier this month, albeit falling short of the 50% threshold to win on the first ballot.

In the lead-up to the second round of voting, Erdoğan continued to court nationalists and campaigned heavily on security issues. He went as far as sharing fake videos that falsely imply his opponent had links to the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that has waged a decades-long fight for a separate state for some 10 million Kurds in Turkey. (Kılıçdaroğlu has disavowed the PKK and the group attacked his convoy in 2016.)

Published in The Daily National Courier, May, 29 2023

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