Turkey's AKP building election campaign on promises to quake victims

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Mar 2023 15:54

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes the decision to center his election campaign on promises to earthquake victims as opposition continues to make ground.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani speak to the media after their talks, in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP)

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is set to build its elections campaign around promises to mitigate the consequences of the devastating earthquakes and improve the economy by launching a series of megaprojects, Turkish media reported on Monday.

The AKP's campaign is expected to be based on pledges to provide earthquake victims with housing and to rebuild cities within one year, the Hurriyet newspaper reported. The report adds that the party leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, plans to hold iftar meals with people affected by the earthquake during the Islamic month of Ramadan.

The news outlet reported that the ruling party will hold several rallies with the president, as well as open a series of megaprojects as a means to gain some popularity.

A number of megaprojects will be announced starting April 20, including a ceremony for the development of the Turkish fifth-generation fighter TF-X, the opening of the Ankara-Sivas high-speed train line, the start of Black Sea gas supplies to households will take place, according to the newspaper.

The president believes that if he wins, he will continue to implement these projects in Turkey, while opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu "creates obstacles."

The report said that the AKP will probably not place its campaign posters in the 11 provinces affected by the quakes, while in other provinces, it will praise the success of existing projects, including Turkey's first electric car TOGG, the Akkuyu nuclear power plant being built by Rosatom, various domestically produced drones, the Canakkale bridge, and others.

Both Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on May 14. Kilicdaroglu, the presidential candidate of the opposition alliance, will be Erdogan's main opponent.

Opinion polls don't show a clear winner and the elections are likely to become challenging for the ruling party and Erdogan, due to the February earthquakes, which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.

The opposition was quick to blame Erdogan for the corruption in the construction industry that led to new buildings collapsing, as well as the slow response to the earthquake.