Turkey's weak opposition scrambles to challenge Erdogan

[incir]

I'm not completely wrong - we have a difference of opinion.  It could be said that Gul's more moderation stance against Reg was firefighting on behalf of the religious right. Whatever way it's dressed up he is of the religious right which by it's nature isn't conducive to a secular democratic republic.   This is a man who married his cousin who was half his age and barely out of school.  I hope your comment that he 'let' his wife wear killer heels was tongue in cheek

[Colwyn]

Well, we aren't going to find out about Gul's popularity: he ain't standing.

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/04/gul-wont-run-turkey-president.html

[JohnF]

Whatever way it's dressed up he is of the religious right which by it's nature isn't conducive to a secular democratic republic.   

He is an Islamist, but to have any chance of dislodging the incumbent that is what it will take.  I fear it'll be a long time before Turkey returns to being a secular democratic republic, although you have to ask, in recent years was it ever?  Given the support for the AKP and the wee fella, it looks like a lot of Turks may not want that anyway.

All moot now that he's not running.

I hope your comment that he 'let' his wife wear killer heels was tongue in cheek  

 

JF

[Colwyn]

He is an Islamist, but to have any chance of dislodging the incumbent that is what it will take.  I

Yeah, that's how I see it as well. Kilicdaroglu seems to lack any charisma and/or policies to gather more support and Aksener is likely to gain fierce opposition in equal measure to gaining fierce support. As yet, nobody else is on the horizon. So Erdogan may coast through to the executive presidency in the last election with any semblance of democracy that Turkey may see for a long while.

[incir]

It's so depressing.  The polarisation in Turkey is unbelieveable; it's as though it's three countries tacked together.  Hopefully the opposition can cobble together some semblance of a coalition says she the eternal optimist..  I agree re Aksener though.