Skip to main content

Erdogan basing campaign on ploy of 'fake it till you make it'

Candidates representing the ruling party in Turkey's upcoming local elections are depending heavily on the president's popularity, which appears to be waning.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a meeting of provincial election officials at the headquarters of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in Ankara on January 29, 2019. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP)        (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's biggest fan: Gursel Cephaneci, a Turkish actor in his 60s. It is not unusual to see actors praising the president on various occasions, but Cephaneci was speaking to staunchly pro-government channel A Haber in a "random" street interview.

Camera and mic teams go around asking people on the street who they will be voting for and why, as the March 31 elections are fast approaching. Then these recordings are posted online, with the most attractive bits and pieces becoming trending videos on social media.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.