Making Sense of the Turkish Elections

BY: ATUL SINGH & ALI DEMIRDAS, NATHANIEL HANDY, TULIN DALOGLU

Erdoğan consolidated power, reshaped Turkey with Islamist agenda, dismantling Atatürk's modern state and European influence.

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Atatürk modernized Turkey but kept an authoritarian state. Secular elite dominated, military interfered, coups were common.

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Erdoğan emerged, blending Islam with politics. Reversed headscarf ban, embraced Ottoman past, converted Hagia Sophia.

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Erdoğan defies expectations, wins with 52%. Turkish people support him as a democratic leader, not a dictator.

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Troubling: Turkish voters overlook Erdoğan's poor record and economy concerns. No viable alternative apparent.

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Debating Kılıçdaroğlu's failure in Turkey: personality, policy, alliances, record, charisma, and authority explored.

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Speakers explore questions on Turkey's future: İmamoğlu's potential, Erdoğan's rule, and Handy's pragmatic perspective.

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