Two female political figures displaying tough challenge for Turkey’s president
For most of 2020, President Erdogan has taken an adventurous approach to foreign policy to distract attention from the economic crisis in Turkey and the political hardship experienced by the AKP, as commented by several political experts and opinion leaders. Tensions in Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh and the Eastern Mediterranean overshadowed the losses of AK Party in major cities in last year’s local elections, which caused a major disappointment for AK Party, especially in Istanbul, where Erdogan used to be the strongest.
Opinion leaders draw attention that the strategy the president has often used has reached its limit: It is saddening to see that neither investors nor the public anymore believe Erdogan’s words in the new economic era. More generally, the president and his party are losing the trust of large groups of voters, including urbanites and young conservatives. While the corona virus outbreak has been more durable than expected, it has also destroyed hopes of an economic comeback in 2021 during which opposition parties have begun work to gain power. While Erdogan has ignored their calls for early elections, his political rivals are likely to try all the way.”
Today there are some political figures in opposition who have a chance to get ahead of Erdogan and these are two women on opposite sides of the political spectrum; Meral AKŞENER and Canan KAFTANCIOGLU. The 64-year-old AKSENER has said he wants to replace President Erdogan and has been fighting against him in 2018. KAFTANCIOGLU, 48, has the image of a left-wing feminist riding a motorcycle. Although KAFTANCIOGLU’s’s views are considered radical for her own party, she is respected for being behind the AKP’s humiliation in Istanbul.”
Having shared this all on the other hand, it goes without saying Ekrem IMAMOGLU, the mayor of Istanbul is seen to be the major threat for Erdoğan in first presidency elections to come. This is no doubt a nightmare for the president as voiced by many experts.
