Thread by @arzugeybulla

Starting a 🧵on the upcoming elections in #Turkey scheduled for May 14.

Will be adding articles, podcasts, and interviews I find useful for the international audience watching the elections from afar.

First up, some of the stories we have published at @globalvoices

May 14 will go down in the history of the Turkish Republic as one of the most important elections to date. globalvoices.org/2023/04/06/in-…

In the run-up to the election, the AKP and its leader have made alliances with numerous parties looking to dismantle women's rights in the country, including lifting Law 6284, which protects women against domestic violence. globalvoices.org/2023/04/20/may…

What a viral post by a Turkish food critic tells us about the country's upcoming elections. globalvoices.org/2023/04/26/und…

This year, on October 29, the Republic of Turkey will celebrate its 100th anniversary since its founding in 1923. Ahead of this important date, a local raki brand, Yeni Raki released a new commercial with some political undertones. globalvoices.org/2023/05/03/in-…

What drives some of the first-time, 5 million voters in Turkey to vote for either of the two main leading candidates? @SandraGathmann reports

https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/1655922854142132227?s=20

The end of the authoritarian Erdogan era - if it comes - should mean a freer, more democratic Turkey. Jails may be less crowded and relations with the West less fraught.

bbc.com/news/world-eur…

Polls suggest a tight presidential and parliamentary vote, which will decide not just who leads Turkey but what role it may play to ease conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East.

reuters.com/world/middle-e…

An opposition win on May 14 could be a game-changer, both for Turkey and the West. It would represent a triumph of democracy and a blow against entrenched authoritarianism.
By @asliaydintasbas washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/…

In conclusion, while the threat of the deep state and factions within Turkey remains a concern, there are reasons to believe that a decisive victory for the opposition in the upcoming elections would be difficult to derail. forbes.com/sites/guneyyil…

Why Turkey’s upcoming elections matter so much for the world washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/…

High inflation and an earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people have created a political opening for opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. What are the dynamics shaping this election? And what would a change of leadership in Ankara mean for the world? foreignpolicy.com/podcasts/forei…

It is hard to imagine Erdogan gracefully accepting defeat because it would be unprecedented: No Turkish president has ever been directly voted out of office. foreignpolicy.com/2023/04/22/tur…

This year, the AKP has a wide array of tactics it could employ to shape the election outcome, including recent changes to electoral laws, persecution of the opposition, arbitrary criminalization of speech, and a surge in public spending to win over voters. foreignpolicy.com/2023/05/03/tur…

What would it mean for Turkish politics and foreign policy if Kilicdaroglu won? Without a doubt, it will be a sigh of relief for millions of Turks. But it is unlikely that Turkey will revert to a past that never existed. foreignpolicy.com/2023/04/14/tur…

Most polls give opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who is backed by a six-party alliance, a slight lead over the incumbent. The presidential race may go to a second round. ft.com/content/2eb04d…

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ruled Turkey for more than 20 years. For the first time, he isn't the favorite to win an election. Who are his rivals, what electoral alliances are there and how fair is the campaign? dw.com/en/elections-i…

The presidential and parliamentary votes, set for May 14 with a possible May 28 run-off, will decide not only who leads Turkey but also how it is governed, where its economy is headed, and the shape of its foreign policy. reuters.com/world/middle-e…

The election takes place three months after the devastating earthquakes in southeast Turkey which killed according to official reports more than 50,000 people.

globalvoices.org/2023/02/07/tur…

Following the earthquake, facing criticism the ruling government was quick to come up with scapegoats to blame. globalvoices.org/2023/02/17/mee…

Which hardly worked especially after a tragedy of such proportions globalvoices.org/2023/02/27/sil…

Another great panel on #TurkeyElections (scenarios, expectations, and more) moderated by @AlMonitor's senior correspondent @amberinzaman with all-star panelists line up
including @gonultol, @DiegoCupolo, @tashecon, @MarcPierini1 al-monitor.com/videos/what-ex…

Mr. Kilicdaroglu said that he would maintain Turkish investments in Russia but would comply with Western decisions with regard to sanctioning Russia, leaving Moscow more isolated than before. wsj.com/articles/turke…

“Mr. Erdogan has displayed a Rasputin-like ability to survive in the bare-knuckle world of Turkish politics since rising from Istanbul’s docklands to the presidential palace, crushing a military coup attempt and a series of challengers in past elections.”

.@article19org and @hrw examined potential threats to Turkey’s online environment during the parliamentary and presidential elections in which President Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) face a significant electoral challenge. article19.org/resources/turk…

The high stakes are matched by the Shakespearean drama of Mr Erdogan’s rule. He started in politics as a dissident underdog [but] has become the persecutor, locking up opponents on flimsy charges, cowing the media and deposing elected officials. economist.com/briefing/2023/…

Here is a useful list of stories by the @MiddleEastInst Turkey Program addressing the key issues in Turkey’s make-or-break elections mei.edu/publications/t…

Ahead of the crucial election, the country is witnessing two very different political campaign styles. Pres. Erdoğan follows a polarizing, negative, and fear-based approach focused on energizing his base, while Kılıçdaroğlu's campaign is dynamic, inclusive, and positive.+

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is seeking re-election, is competing against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the joint candidate of the Nation Alliance, who is also backed by the Labor and Freedom Alliance.
mei.edu/publications/p…

The stakes have rarely been higher as the republic marks its centenary. Erdoğan is battling for his political survival as he faces his biggest challenge at the ballot box since coming to power in 2003. ft.com/content/2c4a52…

I figured I also share a list of folks to follow as we hit the last stretch ahead of the elections (lots of Turkey experts, journos covering TR, and more for eng. speaking audience): @gonultol, @SinanCiddi, @TezGumus, @berileski, @SonerCagaptay, @selvinkorkmaz, @deingrid +

.@Turkeyrecap, @ezgi_akin, @duyguguvenc, @DiegoCupolo, @sinemadar, @sinanulgen1, @berkesen, @kayagenc, @kenan_sharpe, @NazlanEr, @SelimKoru, @heissenstat, @humeyra_pamuk, @stevenacook, @otaspinar, @jamesinturkey, @MerveTahiroglu, @NicholasDanfort, @amberinzaman +

.@nateschenkkan, @asliaydintasbas, @06JAnk, @TheTurkishLife, @Istanbultelaviv, @SibelOktay, @MiddleEastInst, @Nick_Ashdown, @p_zalewski, @selingirit, @Paul_Osterlund. I am sure I missed some folks. Feel free to add more suggestions.

In #Turkey, ahead of the country’s most important election in recent memory, scheduled for May 14, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) seems to be resorting to foul play and tricks to steer the votes in their favor. For @globalvoices globalvoices.org/2023/05/10/in-…