Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s fledgling electoral alliance is fraying over a dispute about parliamentary candidates that could threaten his two decades of control with elections just six weeks away.
(Bloomberg) —
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s fledgling electoral alliance is fraying over a dispute about parliamentary candidates that could threaten his two decades of control with elections just six weeks away.
Two parties that are backing the president’s bid for re-election on May 14 said on Tuesday they’ll field separate parliamentary candidates in the vote. In contrast, an increasingly united opposition bloc has largely agreed on a joint list of potential MPs.
Why Turkey’s Next Election Is a Real Test for Erdogan: QuickTake
Collaborative lists are an advantage under Turkey’s D’Hondt system of proportional representation, which favors alliances and larger parties over smaller ones.
“It would not be correct, logical or reasonable for the MHP to be involved in the preparation of a joint list and use that while two other parties in the alliance are planning to participate in the elections with their own candidates,” Erdogan’s biggest traditional ally, Devlet Bahceli said, using the Turkish initials of his Nationalist Movement Party.
Erdogan Looks to Islamist Fringe to Bolster Electoral Alliance
Bahceli’s comments followed a similar move by the Islamist Yeniden Refah party, one of the two small parties that recently joined Erdogan’s alliance. After meeting Erdogan on Tuesday, its leader Fatih Erbakan said he’d use his own party’s list and logo in the parliamentary race. Another member of the bloc, the Great Unity Party or BBP, is also considering separate candidates.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.