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10 comments

[–] Sarcastaway 1 points (+1|-0)

Fair enough. I don't have any info on the outcome or proceedings, but I'll post here if I hear anything.

My opinion is that the "Erdogan may be losing his grip" stories and (potentially) the close election results are a way of staving off an imminent rebellion. Everyone wants peaceful change over violence, and convincing people its possible to resolve their grievances without bloodshed is a key to maintaining order in any faux-democracy.

[–] doggone [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

I tend to agree with your opinion, which is one reason I'm interested. If he could lose, it changes the narrative a bit, and if these stories are planted bs, then that's something too.

https://www.bloombergquint.com/politics/2018/06/13/why-erdogan-s-election-has-gone-from-shoo-in-to-nail-biter

“Kurds were the ones that enabled him to govern,” Alinak said. "If he’s going to lose that mandate, that’s also going to happen because of Kurds.”

(I thought he was at war with the Kurds)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/06/12/is-erdogan-losing-his-grip-on-turkey/?utm_term=.2bfa2a37de43

Still, Turkey is not Russia, I always tell my European and American friends. Elections here are flawed, but real.

[–] Sarcastaway 1 points (+1|-0)

You raise a good point. Regardless of the reason behind these narratives, it does suggest a real change could be coming to Turkey. I guess the real question is if Erdogen would relinquish his power peacefully.

(I thought he was at war with the Kurds)

That I don't know. Obviously Erodogen has not been good to the Kurdish peoples of the middle east, but I think the only official war against Kurds by Turks is going on in Syria. Considering the number of Kurds in Turkey, it is possible that Erdogen is losing support among them. I'm not familiar enough with their voter turnout or election system to take a guess at how much that would effect his chances though.

[–] doggone [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

I am surprised to hear that the Kurds are a big source of his support. They appear to be something of a disparate "group". Along side the Syrian Kurd story are the Iraqi Kurds, who I thought Turkey had been battling for some time.