Erdogan’s presidential ambitions face uphill battle
The selection of President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan's replacement as AKP leader may create turmoil in the party's ranks.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the clear winner of the Aug. 10 presidential elections and will become Turkey’s 12th president. Debate will continue, however, as to whether this was a fair win, since Erdogan used all the advantages of his position during his campaign against his rivals.
Even US State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Aug. 11 that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had pointed to this issue in a preliminary report before the elections. She indicated, on the basis of that report, that the candidates were generally able to campaign freely and that freedoms of association and assembly were respected.
Harf reminded listeners that the OSCE had said, “The use of his official position by the prime minister as well as biased media coverage gave him a distinct advantage over the other candidates.”
The point, however, is moot at this stage. There is nothing that can overturn Erdogan’s victory.
