Setback for Erdogan: Opposition emerges victorious in Ankara

What the latest results actually shows is the dissatisfaction of the common population towards the oppressive and unproductive policies imposed over them in the pretext of the steps for economic growth.

Inflicting a huge setback to the undemocratic regime controlled by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the opposition party of the Arab country has emerged victorious in at least two main cities including its capital city Ankara in the latest local election, which is regarded by many as a referendum on whether the oppressive regime should continue to rule in the country or not.

Apart from Ankara, Istanbul is where the opposition has showed a stunning performance. It is learned that both of these seats were the strongholds of the ruling party. The decisive defeat occurred in the strongholds itself proves that how unpopular the ruling has become by now in the country, which once considered Mr Erdogan as the saviour of the Arab nation which shares an inseparable relation with the European continent.

Importantly, a main opposition party, the Kurdish dominated party, could not field candidates in the election. Had they also entered the election, the failure would have been much more severe and humiliating.

The humiliation faced by the Turkey’s ruling has jolted the country’s market a bit. The value of their currency has also plummeted slightly.

Actually, last year, the president reformed the country’s power structure in his advantage over the promise of economic growth and stability. In reality, it was a sham. It brought no economic progress, but authoritarianism.

What the latest results actually shows is the dissatisfaction of the common population towards the oppressive and unproductive policies imposed over them in the pretext of the steps for economic growth.

The ruling is less likely to concede their defeat. By now, the president has brought all political institutions including its media houses, judiciary, and even its parliament under either their direct control or their indirect control (through the support of the ruling’s loyalists). In the present Turkey, anything can be done by the ruling with the security of impunity to reverse the slight edge achieved by the opposition through this election –for the last few years, the ruling has been doing several human rights abuses in the country in the name of bringing the country, which faced a failed coup, back to normal. So, it is high time for the west to intervene to reinstate democracy in the country.

It is yet to be evaluated whether there is any global implication to the present development in Turkey. Such an evaluation is needed, especially when India – a friend of Turkey – is at the edge of its general election.    

Vignesh. S. G

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