![]() ![]() Pandering to his pious and conservative supporters, Erdogan and other members of his ruling party have called LGBTQ+ individuals “deviants.” They want to scrap laws on alimony and domestic violence protection, arguing they encourage women to leave their husbands and threaten traditional family values.Įrdogan already has removed Turkey from a European convention that aims to prevent domestic violence - a nod to religious groups that claimed the treaty encourages divorce and LGBTQ+ rights. The parties newly recruited into Erdogan’s camp have Islamic agendas, which have raised fears about the future of women’s rights in Turkey. Seeking to widen his support from voters, Erdogan has expanded his own political alliance of two nationalist parties to include a small Islamist party and also secured the backing of a radical Kurdish-Islamist party. WILL THE ELECTION AFFECT WOMEN’S AND LGBTQ+ RIGHTS? The six parties have also promised to abide by decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, which has called for Demirtas and Kavala’s release. He also has pledged to free former pro-Kurdish party co-chair Selahattin Demirtas and philanthropist businessman and human rights activist Osman Kavala from prison. Kilicdaroglu has also promised to do away with a law that makes insulting the president a criminal offense punishable by prison. The alliance has outlined plans for a greater separation of powers, including an increased role for parliament and an independent judiciary. The new system abolished the office of the prime minister and concentrated a vast amount of powers in the hands of the president. The coalition of six parties has declared a commitment to restore Turkey as a parliamentary democracy and to give citizens greater rights and freedoms should their alliance win the elections.Įrdogan succeeded in getting a presidential system of governance narrowly approved by referendum in 2017 and introduced in 2018. Officials say there are some 5 million migrants and refugees in Turkey, including around 3.7 million Syrians and 300,000 Afghans, but anti-migrant parties say the figure is closer to 13 million. His government is also seeking a reconciliation with Syrian President Bashir Assad to ensure their safe return. Under mounting public pressure, Erdogan’s government has begun constructing thousands of brick homes in Turkish-controlled areas of northern Syria to encourage voluntary returns. Erdogan has pledged to construct 319,000 homes within the year and attended a number of groundbreaking ceremonies, trying to convince voters that only he can rebuild lives and businesses. The Turkish leader has centered his election campaign on rebuilding the 11 worst-hit provinces. Some people left homeless or struggling to earn money also found the government’s earthquake response to be slow. The recovery and reconstruction costs could add up to twice that much, the international financial institution said.Įrdogan’s government, meanwhile, has been accused of setting the stage for the devastation with lax building code enforcement. The World Bank estimates that the earthquake caused $34.2 billion in “direct damages” - an amount equivalent to 4% of Turkey’s 2021 gross domestic product. Some 658,000 people were left jobless, according to the International Labor Organization. Hundreds of thousands of residents are sheltering in temporary accommodation like tents. It destroyed or damaged more than 300,000 buildings. Turkey is grappling with a difficult recovery from February’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the deadliest quake in the country’s modern history. ![]() The opposition alliance has promised to restore the central bank’s independence and a return to orthodox economic policies, if Kilicdaroglu becomes president. To offset the impacts of inflation and win back votes, Erdogan has engaged in a public spending spree ahead of the elections, increasing the minimum wage and pension payments. ![]() The official April figure was 44%, although independent groups say they think the actual rate is much higher. Instead, the value of the Turkish lira nosedived, and the rate cuts exacerbated a cost of living crisis. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, under pressure from the president, repeatedly slashed interest rates to boost growth and exports. Here’s a look at the main domestic issues shaping the election, and where Erdogan and his challenger stand:Ĭontrary to the mainstream economic theory of interest rate increases helping to keep consumer prices in check, Erdogan maintains that high borrowing rates cause inflation.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |