Skip to main content

Will local election defeat force Erdogan to improve ties with West?

Turkey needs better ties with the United States and Europe to heal the ailing Turkish economy, but experts are not optimistic that Erdogan will do this.

People walk past by AK Party billboards with pictures of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and mayoral candidate Binali Yildirim in Istanbul, Turkey, April 1, 2019. The billboards read: " Thank you Istanbul ".  REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1FFDD2DBA0
People walk past by Justice and Development Party billboards with pictures of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and mayoral candidate Binali Yildirim in Istanbul, Turkey, April 1, 2019. The billboards read "Thank you Istanbul." — REUTERS/Murad Sezer

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to downplay the defeat his party suffered in Turkey’s local elections March 31 by pointing out that mayoral candidates from his Justice and Development Party (AKP) gained a plurality of votes nationwide.

Technically he is justified in saying that if general elections were held tomorrow, the AKP would win again.

Related Topics

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in