Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia welcomes Palestinian leadership reforms, appointment of Hussein Al-Sheikh    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    Pope Francis laid to rest at historic funeral in Rome    Massive explosion at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port injures over 500 people    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Over 13 million worshipers pray at Rawdah Sharif in a year    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Erdogan rival Kilicdaroglu promises peace and democracy
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 04 - 05 - 2023

For Turkey's long-time leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it comes in the shape of a former civil servant, given to making heart emojis with his hands.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, backed by a six-party opposition alliance, says if he wins he will bring freedom and democracy to Turkey, whatever it takes.
"The youth want democracy," he told the BBC. "They don't want the police to come to their doors early in the morning just because they tweeted."
He is the Islamist leader's main rival in elections on 14 May and has a narrow lead in opinion polls. This tight race is expected to go to a second round two weeks later.
Currently Turks can go to jail for "insulting the president". Many have.
"I am telling young people they can criticize me freely. I will make sure they have this right," says the 74-year-old, who leads the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).
Some of Kilicdaroglu's supporters fear for his safety but he says it comes with the territory.
"Being in politics in Turkey means choosing a life with risks. I will walk my path whatever Erdogan and his allies do. They can't put me off. They can't scare me. I made a promise to this nation."
President Erdogan, 69, has mocked his rival in the past saying he "couldn't even herd a sheep". But he's harder to dismiss now.
Arriving for a rally in the port city of Izmir, an opposition stronghold, the opposition candidate is greeted by a sea of flag-waving supporters.
There are chants of "Kilicdaroglu is the hope of the people". Many in the crowd are young. Five million Turks will vote for the first time in this election.
At 15, Oguz is too young to go to the polls but couldn't stay away from the rally. "He is a good person, and he sees the future positively. If he becomes president our economy will rise up, and we will rise up."
Kilicdaroglu said before the rally he would reorient Turkey, and prioritise relations with the West, not the Kremlin.
"We want to become a part of the civilized world," he said. "We want free media and complete judicial independence. Erdogan does not think that way. He wants to be more authoritarian. The difference between us and Erdogan is the difference between black and white."
But will Recep Tayyip Erdogan go quietly if he is defeated after 20 years in power, first as prime minister and now all-powerful president?
"We will retire him, and send him to his corner," said Kilicdaroglu. "He will step back quietly. No one should have any concerns about it."
Others aren't so sure. There are indications that the Turkish leader may be preparing to dispute the result if he loses. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has warned the vote will be "a coup attempt by the West".
Kilicdaroglu said the combined opposition would be vigilant, trusting neither the president, "nor his Supreme Election Council nor his judges".
"By having more than one observer in all the polling stations, we want to ensure that votes are cast correctly, securely, and the counting is done properly. We have been taking precautions to achieve this, working hard for a year and a half."
In many ways he is the anti-Erdogan. He has recorded campaign videos at his modest kitchen table, tea towels hanging neatly in the background.
Showing he knows his onions, his rival appeared in one video with one in hand, warning prices would keep soaring if Erdogan remained in power. "Now, one kilogram of onion is 30 liras," he said. "If he stays it will be 100 liras."
The president's economic policies are widely blamed for rampant inflation here. Whoever wins will inherit a broken economy and a divided nation - there's no magic bullet for either.
On stage, flanked by other opposition leaders, Kilicdaroglu makes his trademark heart emoji for the crowds. "Everything will be beautiful," he says. "Believe it." And they do.
But his rally on the waterfront in Izmir came only a day after the president attracted his own large gathering, which was segregated.
Many religious conservatives will stick with him. He speaks their language. And he has shored up his support with pre-election spending including wage increases.
As polling day draws near there is an undercurrent of tension.
Many conversations are peppered with election talk - and fears - and Turkey faces a stark choice of two competing visions.
A new poll of opinion polls suggests Kilicdaroglu will win the presidency but that the president's alliance is ahead in the race for parliament.
With the election on a knife edge, no-one can be sure if the coming weeks will pass peacefully. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.