Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his wife voted in the presidential and parliamentary elections in Istanbul. The polls could end Erdogan’s grip on power. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in February killed over 50,000 people in Turkey and has changed the nature of the election. Many people are unhappy with Erdogan’s response to the emergency, and some are now considering voting for his secular rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
For example, Mehmet Topaloglu, a farmer from Antakya, said he voted for Erdogan in his first two terms but won’t vote for him again. He believes that the earthquake and the economic situation have changed things, and that Erdogan has had enough time in power. Semra Karakas and her daughter Aylin also think that the state’s inadequate response to the emergency has reaffirmed their choice to vote for Kilicdaroglu in the election.
Medical worker Deryer Deniz thinks this year’s elections are much more important than previous ones because of the earthquake. She knows many voters who previously supported Erdogan but have now changed their minds. A group of young people also want Erdogan to “get lost”.
Cemil Kanatci, a man in his 70s, said that all elections are important, but this one is even more so due to the earthquake. It is possible that he will vote differently this time. Overall, it remains to be seen whether these changes in opinion will be enough to swing the election in one way or another.
