AFTER 15 years in power, both as prime minister and president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to start a new term as president following his party’s election victory on Sunday. Securing just over 52pc of the vote, the veteran politician survived a challenge mounted by the opposition CHP. While Turkey indeed has come a long way under Mr Erdogan and the AKP’s watch, these successes should not lead to a democratically elected autocracy, as the Turkish leader is set to assume a more powerful presidency, with the office of prime minister eliminated. By and large, the vote was fair and the turnout was high (over 80pc), though some observers said there were a few attacks on opposition candidates. As stated, Mr Erdogan will now occupy an even more powerful presidency, approved in a referendum last year; this concentration of powers is worrying and Turkey’s democratic gains must be preserved and strengthened under the new government.

Both internally and externally, Mr Erdogan faces numerous challenges. For example, his vow to go after the Kurdish PKK in Iraq and Syria will certainly not go down well with Turkey’s own Kurds. Moreover, the previous AKP-led government’s crackdown on opponents and those suspected to be linked to cleric Fethullah Gulen was a troubling development. Opponents of the government must be free to organise and express themselves, within constitutional bounds, and should not be subjected to a witch hunt. Turkey’s economic situation is also fragile, while the war in Syria next door is far from over. These complications require an inclusive approach from the new government. Whether it is the Kurds or political opponents, the new government in Ankara must take all segments of society along and tolerate differences. This will strengthen Turkish democracy and block the path of quarters trying to grab power in an extra-constitutional manner, as was witnessed during the botched coup of 2016.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2018