Friday May 12, 2023
Just days before Turkey's highly controversial presidential election, one of the four candidates, Muharrem Ince, has decided to withdraw from the race, marking a significant turn in the political landscape.
Ince's departure comes at a time when opposition parties have a prime opportunity to remove Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power by consolidating their support for a single candidate.
During a press conference, Ince announced his withdrawal and gave various reasons for his decision. One of the factors he mentioned was the spread of fabricated explicit images that tarnished his reputation. Ince expressed his disappointment at the relentless character assassination he endured for 45 days, stressing that the Turkish authorities had failed to protect his integrity.
He revealed that doctored videos and images, including one where his face was overlaid with an Israeli pornographic video, were being circulated by individuals claiming to be part of the opposition.
Ince also expressed concern about the potential culpability he could face if an alliance of opposition parties fails to secure a victory in the presidential election. By stepping aside, he wanted to defuse any internal divisions and prevent the opposition from making him a scapegoat for their potential loss. As a result, Ince's withdrawal gave a significant boost to Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Erdogan's main rival. The announcement had an immediate impact and led to a surge in Turkey's main stock market.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held power in Turkey for more than two decades. However, his administration faces various challenges, including an alarmingly high inflation rate of 44%. The government has also faced criticism for its handling of the devastating twin earthquakes in February that killed more than 50,000 people in 11 provinces.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a 74-year-old leader known for his moderate approach, heads an alliance of six opposition parties. Recent polls suggest he currently has 49% of the vote. While Muharrem Ince's own share of support in the polls has been relatively small, opposition supporters hope his withdrawal will tip the balance in Kilicdaroglu's favor, potentially giving him the majority needed to win Sunday's election outright. However, if none of the candidates manage to get 50% of the vote, a second round of elections will be held two weeks later.
Ince, 59, previously won 30% of the vote five years ago as the candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party. However, he left the party the following year and charted his own course in Turkish politics.
