Protest: Imamoglu supporters on November 11, 2022 in front of the courthouse
Image: Reuters
The June 2023 elections cast their long shadows ahead. Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan’s possible challenger, is threatened with a political ban. It is one of the most popular screenplays in Turkey.
When listening to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he gets the impression that there is a permanent election campaign in Turkey. Six months before the parliamentary and presidential elections that are taking place at the same time, there are increasing signs that the election campaign is actually beginning and that it will be waged with a bang. Because the election, which must take place by mid-June 2023 at the latest, is about whether the AKP, which has ruled the country almost unchallenged since 2002, and President Erdogan are voted out.
The current opinion polls do not look good for Erdogan and the AKP. The opposition’s lead is melting. Because Erdogan benefits from his presence on the international stage, which is reflected in increasing approval. However, the AKP alliance with its right-wing nationalist partner MHP would still lose its majority in parliament, and above all Erdogan would lose in a first round to each of the four conceivable opposition candidates.
