Turkish election status on May 15, 6 (EDT) in the morning: Diaspora votes not counted yet. Erdogan received 49.5% of the vote, while Kemal got 44.89%. Erdogan’s supporter Ogan received 5.17% of the vote. Ince of Homeland Party received 0.43% of the vote.
Erdogan’s prime opponent Kemal is from the “Ataturk Kemal Pasha’s” party. He’s a secular politician from the Republican Party. Erdogan has been turning a secular Turkey into a religious one since 2003. While transforming the Ottoman Empire (overthrown in WWI) into a modern Turkey, Ataturk Kemal Pasha was able to keep the Mullahs away from power. Eighty years after Kemal Pasha defeated the Mullahs in 1923, the Mullahs came to power in 2003.
If Erdogan fails to receive 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff between Erdogan and Kemal after 2 weeks. Despite the probability of Erdogan’s win after diaspora votes count, the United States and Europe are hoping for a runoff. If the election heads to a runoff, there is a hairline chance of Erdogan losing. In yesterday’s voting, Ogan positioned 3rd, receiving 5.20% of the vote. Ogan is indeed an Erdogan supporter. In a runoff, along with his supporters, Ogan will support Erdogan. So the probability of Erdogan’s win is high.
Why do the Westerners want Erdogan’s defeat? Westerners think Erdogan is running Turkey roughly in an authoritarian way. He turned a secular country into a religious country. Westerners think Turkey is a European country, and its people should be pro-Europe, not pro-Mullahs. I also believe if Erdogan, the leader of the Mullahs, loses the election, people will be better off.
