Why does Turkey’s election matter to the world?

The first round of the Turkish general election took place on Sunday, 14 May 2023. The second round of the election is scheduled for Sunday, 28 May 2023. The world is invested in this election. World leaders want to know who will be the next President of Turkey in 2023.

Why does Turkey’s election matter to the world? For the first time in two decades, the elections pose a great challenge to the current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the first round of the Turkish presidential election, Erdogan did not get the majority of the votes to win the election. According to Turkey’s Supreme Election Board, Erdogan received 49.24 per cent of the vote, while his opposition Kemal Kilicdaroglu received 45.07 per cent of the vote, posing a serious threat to the popularity and electoral appeal of Erdogan.

The presidential election came months after a destructive earthquake in February killed 50,000 people and displaced millions of people inside the country. The Erdogan administration has been facing severe allegations of corruption in relief efforts, causing a decline in the popularity of the current Turkish President.

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Erodgan has been in power for 20 years. He has established bonds with both East and West. He held talks with United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, United States President Joe Biden, Russian President Putin and Xi of China.

Reportedly, the status of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey has become a key issue in the Presidential election. The two presidential candidates have promised to send Syrian refugees home within weeks of the presidential vote.

However, Syrian refugees do not want to go to their home country. Some countries reportedly fear that they would have to accommodate the Syrian refugees if Turkey stops providing support to them.

The military and defence cooperation between Pakistan and Turkey deepened under the presidency of Erdogan, causing anger in India. Turkey’s election matters to world powers.