The Hamilton Spectator

Erdogan faces policy challenges

Experts say president likely to continue engaging with both West, Russia

After securing a strong new mandate in a runoff presidential election, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan could temper some positions that have irritated his NATO allies. But observers predicted that the country’s longtime strongman leader is unlikely to depart from his policy of engaging with Russia and the West.

Erdogan won reelection Sunday with more than 52 per cent of the vote, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. He must now confront skyrocketing inflation that has fuelled a costof-living crisis and rebuild in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people and levelled entire cities.

After failing to secure victory outright in the first round of voting on May 14, Erdogan defeated opposition challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who had promised to put Turkey on a more democratic path and improve relations with the West.

A divisive populist and masterful orator who transformed Turkey’s presidency from a largely ceremonial role to a powerful office, Erdogan won in part due to the backing of conservative voters.

They remain devoted to him for lifting Islam’s profile in Turkey, which was founded on secular principles.

In the run-up to the election, Erdogan held off approving Sweden’s entry into the NATO alliance. Erdogan accused Sweden of being too soft on groups Ankara considers to be terrorists.

With his immediate political future now secure, Erdogan may be willing to lift his objection to Sweden’s membership, which must be unanimously approved. Turkey and Hungary are the only two countries in the alliance that have not ratified the bid.

“Turkey will likely signal it is open to some form of rapprochement, such as by encouraging parliament’s ratification of Sweden’s accession to NATO,” said Jay Truesdale, who heads the geopolitical risk consultancy, Veracity Worldwide.

But that doesn’t mean Erdogan plans to abandon his relationship with Russia, on which Turkey relies on for energy and tourism revenue.

“Erdogan has successfully maintained a multi-vector foreign policy, which has enabled him to have constructive relations with Russia, China, and countries throughout the Middle East, even if this has been to the detriment of Turkey’s alliances with the West,” said Truesdale.

Erdogan’s tendency to play both sides has often irked his allies. But it also often makes him indispensable, as evidenced by the Western leaders who rushed to congratulate him.

U.S. President Joe Biden said he looked “forward to continuing to work together as NATO Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges.”

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2023-05-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thespec.pressreader.com/article/281655374453690

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