adminANKARA. — Turkey’s premier is bound to tighten and extend his grip on power, emboldened by sweeping local poll wins that came despite damaging graft claims and Internet clampdowns, analysts said yesterday. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after delivering a rousing “balcony speech” to thousands of jubilant followers overnight, is now almost certain to run for president this year or seek a fourth term as prime minister, they said.
Needled by months of corruption claims spread via Twitter and YouTube, Erdogan has vowed to go after hidden enemies in the police, justice and media whom he blames for the online leaks and pursue them “in their lairs”.
“Emerging strongly from the elections, Erdogan will likely run for president during the summer,” said Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute think-tank.
With memories fresh of last June’s violence — when eight people died, thousands were injured and clouds of tear gas wafted through Istanbul’s Gezi Park — many feared further dangerous tensions ahead.
“The government says it will launch a witch-hunt against the media (and) civil society,” said the head of the secular opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
“We will monitor this carefully. We will stand by our people if their rights are violated.”
Cagaptay predicted that “Erdogan will become more authoritarian. Turkey will be polarised further, with unrest and demonstrations. The government will crack down on the opposition further, with the potential of a deadlock and regime crisis.”
Even though Sunday’s nationwide polls were for city mayors and municipal officials, they were seen by all sides as a crucial popularity test for Erdogan and his Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Nationwide, the AKP garnered 45 percent of the vote compared with 28 percent for the CHP; scored a crushing victory in megacity Istanbul; and claimed a narrow win in the capital Ankara. — AFP.
Online Reporter