Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced plans to hold new elections in May, despite an earthquake that struck the country’s southeast region earlier this week. Erdogan said that the elections will be held on May 26, the same date as the last local elections, and that the government is actively preparing for them despite the disaster. He also said that the government has taken measures to provide relief to the people affected by the earthquake and to help them rebuild their homes and lives.
(Bloomberg) —
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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expects parliamentary elections to be held in Turkey in three months, despite two earthquakes devastating much of the southeast this week.
Erdogan, who faces one of the toughest election campaigns of his two decades in power, announced a 90-day state of emergency on Tuesday. It allows him to take rapid security and financial measures in the areas affected by the disaster that killed more than 6,000 people in Turkey. Parliament is expected to approve the move on Wednesday.
Officials familiar with the discussions said Erdogan announced the 90-day measures and then plans to hold the vote right after on May 14 as originally planned. They asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. The emergency measures could also end before the full 90 days are up, the people said.
The Presidency declined to comment.
Latest earthquake: Turkey declares three-month state of emergency
Erdogan plans to visit the hard-hit cities of Kahramanmaras and Hatay on Wednesday. The regions affected by the quake are home to populations more likely to vote for his AKP and who are critical to his electoral success.
Erdogan has described the tremors as “the greatest catastrophe not only in the history of the republic, but also in the world” and has mobilized his government for rescue and recovery operations.
Bloomberg Economics estimates that post-quake public spending could be equivalent to 5.5% of gross domestic product over two years.
TURKEY INSIGHT: Public spending on earthquakes could be 5.5% of GDP (1)
The government’s ability to save people and provide aid to the roughly 13.4 million people in the disaster area is now the main issue for Erdogan ahead of the vote. The government provided 100 billion lire ($5.3 billion) for first aid, but rescue work is being hampered by harsh winter conditions in areas also home to millions of Syrian refugees.
Erdogan called several of his political rivals after the earthquakes and told them the country should overcome political differences to overcome the devastation. He did not call the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who said the country was ill-prepared for the disaster and blamed Erdogan personally.
“I don’t have to be in solidarity with Erdogan and his palace,” Kilicdaroglu said in a video posted to Twitter early Wednesday after visiting the earthquake zone. He accused the government of corruption and wasting taxpayers’ money earmarked for preparing for such disasters.
Why Turkey’s next election will be a real test for Erdogan: QuickTake
Since winning the 2018 election, Erdogan has assumed greater executive powers. But while these give him the option to postpone voting by a year in wartime, a natural disaster doesn’t give him that automatic right. In order for the vote to be pushed back from a June deadline, the ruling party must agree with political rivals on amending the constitution.
The president has to officially start the election process by around March 10 for the election to take place in mid-May. If he fails to do so, the vote should take place on June 18, but the chances of that happening are slim, officials said.
–With the support of Beril Akman.
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