By SIMON OSBORNE
TURKEY’s hardline president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has seen a slump in support for his AK Party (AKP) ahead of local elections with insiders blaming the state of the country’s economy for the downturn.
Mr Erdogan’s electoral success over the last 16 years of AKP rule has been underpinned by solid economic growth that saw a living standards improve for the major emerging economy’s 82 million people. But a currency crisis that wiped some 30 percent off the value of the lira last year has led to economic hardship for many voters and fuelled disenchantment.
Rising unemployment, inflation and the fear of a weakening currency have had a negative impact
Opinion polls put opposition candidate for mayor of the capital Ankara Mansur Yavas 3 percentage points ahead of his AKP rival, while in Istanbul the opposition’s Ekrem Imamoglu has narrowed the lead of the AKP’s Binali Yildirim to 1.5 points.
An AKP insider said: ”Economic developments have had an impact in the two cities.
”Rising unemployment, inflation, company bankruptcies, the fear of a weakening currency and related news have had a negative impact.”With annual inflation around 20 percent, Mr Erdogan’s government this month launched the sale of cheap vegetables in state-run markets in Istanbul and Ankara to bring prices down.
Opinion polls show opposition parties are gaining ground on Mr Erdogan’s AKP.
But for many that only served to reinforce the impression of economic deterioration.
The party source said: “The state regulated sales actually gave the impression of things going backwards after 16 years of progress.
“There was also criticism that these sales did not happen in other cities.”
Murat Sari, head of the Konsensus polling agency, said the election battle was on a knife edge in both Istanbul and Ankara, which have been under AKP control throughout Mr Erdogan’s time in power.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has seen the Turkish economy struggle in recent months.
The president was mayor of Istanbul between 1994 and 1998.
Mr Sari said: “Three out of four voters say they are having trouble getting by and there is general dissatisfaction with municipal services in Istanbul.
“Aside from satisfaction on services, the people want new faces, new names.”
An official from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said his party would in all likelihood win in Ankara and also expected to clinch the mayoral race in Istanbul.
Source: Express
