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ISTANBUL: The Istanbul barber, Hakim Ekinci, is a longtime supporter Ok Erdoganwill not vote for president next Sunday, and blames his economic policies for eroding the purchasing power of Turks and leaving many unable to afford even basic foodstuffs.
Erdogan and Islamist roots and party They were able to maintain their voter base, made up primarily of low-income, conservative people Muslim TurksThanks to the strong economic growth in the first ten years of his rule.
But the cost of living crisis sparked by Erdogan’s unorthodox economic program over the past two and a half years has eroded his popularity, posing the biggest electoral challenge to Erdogan’s 20-year hold on power.
Some polls show Erdogan trailing his main opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu ahead of Sunday’s first round of voting – although the gap has narrowed recently. The parliamentary race remains on edge, with the opposition likely to win a slim majority.
“We were able to buy three to four bags of groceries for 150-200 lira ($7.7-$10). My wife and I couldn’t carry them. Now we can barely fill two bags,” Ekinci, 63, said, pausing. Cutting a client’s hair at his salon in Besiktas, Istanbul.
“I would like to say that the officials are the ones who rule us. I think it’s wrong decisions they made. I used to be a supporter of the AKP but I don’t think of voting for them.”
Ekinci’s views represent the views of millions of Turks who have had to deal with hyperinflation for years. Food prices rose 54 percent year-on-year in April, with headline inflation dropping to 43.7 percent after peaking in October at 85.5 percent, the highest level under Erdogan’s rule.
Annual inflation has remained in double digits for nearly the five years since the general election in 2018. It began to pick up after a currency crisis in late 2021, triggered by a series of interest rate cuts, in line with Erdogan’s unorthodox views.
Ekinci said he began to question his support for the president and the AKP on economic grounds shortly after the 2018 elections and made a specific decision not to vote for them after the currency crisis in 2021.
The Turkish lira lost 44% in 2021 and 30% in 2022. It fell 76% during Erdogan’s second term as president, which was marked by several currency crises due to unconventional policies and geopolitical developments such as the Ukraine war and disagreements between Ankara and Washington.
“The exchange rate is uncontrollable. We can’t afford anything. Nothing they said holds it, so they don’t inspire any confidence,” Ekinci said.
words and action
Al-Hallaq is working on his own after having to lay off two of his staff and saying he cannot secure any bank loans despite rate cuts because authorities limit consumer loans to inflation. His foreign currency loans have also doubled in terms of lira with the currency depreciation.
But many AKP voters still believe that only Erdogan can fix the economy, or blame other factors for his current situation. Halim Doman, an Istanbul resident, said that people who raise prices to achieve greater profits are responsible for the high cost of living. “(Erdogan) can solve it with a flick of his wrist,” she said, as she took a break from shopping at a farmers’ market in central Istanbul. The opposition, including the opposition coalition led by Kilicdaroglu, is all talk in its opinion.
“They don’t take any action,” she said.
Birol Baskan, a writer and political analyst who is not affiliated with any party, said that even “hardcore” Erdogan supporters do not deny that the economy is not doing as well as it did earlier in his term.
“The reason this party continues to win is because it has offered voters certain material benefits. This is the first time it seems that the magic is not working because of the economy, because of high inflation (and) the high cost of living.”
“It has hit people’s pocketbook hard and that’s why I think winning this election is no longer guaranteed.”
Nothing but hunger
Some voters aren’t so confident the opposition will immediately ease economic concerns either. Talat Gül, a marble bricklayer, never voted for the AKP or its allies. Those around him currently see “nothing but hunger”, but he doubts things will quickly change for the better if the opposition wins.
“They created in the last 21 years a Turkey that cannot be changed. It will take 20 years to recover, no matter who comes to power. But I just want him (Erdogan) to go,” he said, strolling through a farmers’ market.
Barber Ekinci has not yet decided who will vote among the three candidates standing against Erdogan. “(Kilichdaroglu) may be an honest person…but they haven’t announced anything that convinces me,” he said.
“I want the dollar exchange rate to go down (after the elections). I want the petrol price to go down. I want inflation to go down,” Ekinci said.
“I want to go back to my life of five or six years ago. I want to be able to go for a walk, go abroad.”
Erdogan and Islamist roots and party They were able to maintain their voter base, made up primarily of low-income, conservative people Muslim TurksThanks to the strong economic growth in the first ten years of his rule.
But the cost of living crisis sparked by Erdogan’s unorthodox economic program over the past two and a half years has eroded his popularity, posing the biggest electoral challenge to Erdogan’s 20-year hold on power.
Some polls show Erdogan trailing his main opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu ahead of Sunday’s first round of voting – although the gap has narrowed recently. The parliamentary race remains on edge, with the opposition likely to win a slim majority.
“We were able to buy three to four bags of groceries for 150-200 lira ($7.7-$10). My wife and I couldn’t carry them. Now we can barely fill two bags,” Ekinci, 63, said, pausing. Cutting a client’s hair at his salon in Besiktas, Istanbul.
“I would like to say that the officials are the ones who rule us. I think it’s wrong decisions they made. I used to be a supporter of the AKP but I don’t think of voting for them.”
Ekinci’s views represent the views of millions of Turks who have had to deal with hyperinflation for years. Food prices rose 54 percent year-on-year in April, with headline inflation dropping to 43.7 percent after peaking in October at 85.5 percent, the highest level under Erdogan’s rule.
Annual inflation has remained in double digits for nearly the five years since the general election in 2018. It began to pick up after a currency crisis in late 2021, triggered by a series of interest rate cuts, in line with Erdogan’s unorthodox views.
Ekinci said he began to question his support for the president and the AKP on economic grounds shortly after the 2018 elections and made a specific decision not to vote for them after the currency crisis in 2021.
The Turkish lira lost 44% in 2021 and 30% in 2022. It fell 76% during Erdogan’s second term as president, which was marked by several currency crises due to unconventional policies and geopolitical developments such as the Ukraine war and disagreements between Ankara and Washington.
“The exchange rate is uncontrollable. We can’t afford anything. Nothing they said holds it, so they don’t inspire any confidence,” Ekinci said.
words and action
Al-Hallaq is working on his own after having to lay off two of his staff and saying he cannot secure any bank loans despite rate cuts because authorities limit consumer loans to inflation. His foreign currency loans have also doubled in terms of lira with the currency depreciation.
But many AKP voters still believe that only Erdogan can fix the economy, or blame other factors for his current situation. Halim Doman, an Istanbul resident, said that people who raise prices to achieve greater profits are responsible for the high cost of living. “(Erdogan) can solve it with a flick of his wrist,” she said, as she took a break from shopping at a farmers’ market in central Istanbul. The opposition, including the opposition coalition led by Kilicdaroglu, is all talk in its opinion.
“They don’t take any action,” she said.
Birol Baskan, a writer and political analyst who is not affiliated with any party, said that even “hardcore” Erdogan supporters do not deny that the economy is not doing as well as it did earlier in his term.
“The reason this party continues to win is because it has offered voters certain material benefits. This is the first time it seems that the magic is not working because of the economy, because of high inflation (and) the high cost of living.”
“It has hit people’s pocketbook hard and that’s why I think winning this election is no longer guaranteed.”
Nothing but hunger
Some voters aren’t so confident the opposition will immediately ease economic concerns either. Talat Gül, a marble bricklayer, never voted for the AKP or its allies. Those around him currently see “nothing but hunger”, but he doubts things will quickly change for the better if the opposition wins.
“They created in the last 21 years a Turkey that cannot be changed. It will take 20 years to recover, no matter who comes to power. But I just want him (Erdogan) to go,” he said, strolling through a farmers’ market.
Barber Ekinci has not yet decided who will vote among the three candidates standing against Erdogan. “(Kilichdaroglu) may be an honest person…but they haven’t announced anything that convinces me,” he said.
“I want the dollar exchange rate to go down (after the elections). I want the petrol price to go down. I want inflation to go down,” Ekinci said.
“I want to go back to my life of five or six years ago. I want to be able to go for a walk, go abroad.”
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