Erdogan rival boosted in race after candidate withdrawal
Muharram Ince, candidate of the Homeland party, has been accused by the main opposition party of colluding with Erdogan
By
News Desk
– May 11 2023
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(Photo credit: AA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival in upcoming elections this weekend has received a boost in the polls following the withdrawal of Muharram Ince, leader of the Homeland party and one of the four contesting Sunday’s presidential vote.
“I’m withdrawing my candidacy. I am doing this for my country,” Ince was quoted as telling reporters on Thursday, 11 May.
“Turkiye could not protect my reputation. A presidential candidate’s reputation is important,” Ince said, blaming a ‘smear campaign’ for his withdrawal from the presidential race.
Bitterly opposed to Erdogan and his pro-Muslim Brotherhood Justice and Development Party (AKP), Ince is also at odds with the main Turkish opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The opposition has accused Ince of being a “spoiler candidate” who colluded with the Turkish president to take away support for their own candidate, Erdogan’s main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
As a result of the sudden withdrawal, Erdogan is now significantly lagging behind Kilicdaroglu.
Prior to Ince’s withdrawal announcement, support for Erdogan was already lagging behind Kilicdaroglu’s support by at least three percent in a number of polls released this month.
This comes as Erdogan is already facing an extremely close election, partly due to the overwhelming criticism his response to February’s earthquake faced. The president has also been blasted for his controversial economic policies, which depend on aggressive interest rate cuts.
Reinforcing the suspicion that the president feels threatened by his lack of support is his recent crackdown on politicians, journalists, lawyers, and activists affiliated with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) – who have endorsed Kilicdaroglu in the race.
Asli Aydintasbas, a Brookings Institution visiting fellow, said: “There is no doubt that Erdogan is facing a majority that wants change – and that includes younger people … The only question is whether folks believe Kilicdaroglu is that agent of change.”
“Whether he barely wins or not, I feel like the Erdogan era is over … Turkish society is ready to move on,” she said.
