ANKARA – Turkey’s prime minister, Tayyip Erdogan, will start a third term of one-party rule strengthened by Sunday’s decisive election win but also burdened by the need for consensus to push for a new constitution.
Mr Erdogan will have to focus first on a pressing foreign policy issue right on his borders: unrest in neighbouring Syria which has led to almost 7,000 Syrian fleeing to Turkey, with more coming every day. But analysts say Mr Erdogan must also find ways to revive a stalled bid for membership of the European Union and break down French and German reluctance to let it in.
Mr Erdogan, whose AK Party has transformed Muslim Turkey into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and ended a cycle of military coups, won 49.9 per cent of the vote, and 326 seats, in the parliamentary election.
The vote was AK’s biggest electoral tally since it came to power in 2002 but the party failed to win the 330 seats it needed to call a referendum to recast the constitution, written almost 30 years ago during military rule.
“The new constitution requires consensus and dialogue with other parties and the society at large,” said Cengiz Aktar, a professor at Istanbul’s Bahcesehir University.
“We will see if Erdogan is ready for these with his majority or will he go his own way and impose his own views on Turkey – in which case we will have difficult times.”
Critics fear Mr Erdogan, who has a reputation for being intolerant of criticism, might use the victory to cement power, limit freedoms and persecute opponents. In a victory speech before thousands of flag-waving supporters in the capital Ankara on Sunday night, he pledged “humility” and said he would work with rivals.
“People gave us a message to build the new constitution through consensus and negotiation. We will discuss the new constitution with opposition parties. This new constitution will meet peace and justice demands.”
The new leader of the secularist opposition Republican People’s Party, which garnered its best result in more than 30 years with 25.9 per cent of the vote, warned Mr Erdogan that he would be watching his movements closely. “We wish all success to AKP, but they must remember there’s a stronger main opposition party now,” said Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Mr Erdogan’s government will also need to tackle a separatist conflict in the mainly Kurdish southeast. A strong showing by the pro-Kurdish BDP in the Kurdish region played a role in denying the AK a bigger vote haul. – (Reuters)