The First Rut Is The Deepest

Issue #207

And we’re back! Though with the sad news that Switzerland banned Beypazarı soda for high levels of boron, an element considered hazardous in large doses, meaning we’re all living on boroned time.

But there’s also good news: This week, we’re launching a new Economy recap! If you already subscribe to Turkey recap, you’ll get it weekly on Friday mornings. Market bells are ringing.

In this week’s recap:

• Post-election objections and revelations

• İmamoğlu reflects on election results

• Export restrictions imposed on Israel

• Ankara calls for restraint after Iran attack

• Turkey-Russia trade slows, new grain deal flops

• Greek marine park triggers Ankara

• Turkey launches digital nomad visa

And from the recap team:

Verda Uyar and Ingrid Woudwijk report on how the elections changed Turkey’s political roadmap.

“There is only one power in our 81 provinces and that is the President and his cabinet,” Erdoğan said Wednesday at the AKP group meeting. © TCCB

After the elections and a 9-day bayram vacation relaxed everyone, you might think Turkey drama is finally over but "it doesn't come to an end until we say so," as Pres. Erdoğan said during his party's group meeting Wednesday.

Emphasizing there is only one government and one President in the country despite CHP's electoral gains, Erdoğan acknowledged voters gave AKP a “message”, saying his team would study it “very carefully” and he would continue to fight inflation.

Erdoğan's “goal is to stabilize the country's finances and curb inflation” and make up with “upset voters”, analyst Soner Çağaptay wrote on his new Substack. "To this end, he will continue to encourage investment flows from the Gulf and Russia, while courting the markets (read West), to jump start the economy."

In addition to improving economic conditions that have particularly hit low and middle income citizens – the bedrock of the AKP's support – many expect major shifts within AKP as well. According to journalist Murat Yetkin, the election results may prompt an intra-party "purge".

However, Erdoğan also highlighted the ruling People’s Alliance claimed more votes than CHP. İlkan Dalkuç, a political commentator and Daktilo1984 contributor, said post-election developments suggest Erdoğan may consolidate his authority in AKP and the government.

After the electoral defeat “it seems that small and outsider elements have been targeted so far rather than the top party, especially Erdoğan,” Dalkuç told Turkey recap. “This is a way to protect Erdoğan.”

According to Dalkuç, there is a clique in AKP with Islamist roots that sees itself as the “owner of the party”. This group is not happy about the MHP alliance as well as Ankara’s stance on Gaza and Dalkuç believes their discontent fueled the recent backlash against AKP MP Şebnem Bursalı’s lobster party in Monaco.

“They also think that they are treated unfairly in the distribution of the blessings of power,” Dalkuç added. “But there is no possibility for them to break away from Erdoğan.”

Meanwhile, Turkey's Supreme Election Board (YSK) continues evaluating dozens of objections to election results from around the country. Rejecting most appeals, the board announced re-run elections would be held on June 2 in Urfa's Hilvan, Kayseri's Pınarbaşı and Aksaray's Güzelyurt along with four small constituencies.

At the same time, some newly elected mayors have passed their first weeks in office shedding light on their predecessors' spending habits. Various reports show that millions of dollars in debt were left by former AKP mayors in many provinces and districts, with some large purchases taking place just before elections.

Even an AKP mayor in Malatya was furious at the former mayor from his own party for the municipality's debt.

"In order to find resources and minimize the debt, we thought of selling some of the properties in the newly built bazaar," new Malatya mayor Sami Er said during his first council meeting. "But we found that there were no properties to sell.”

– Gonca Tokyol