

He has built up systems of cronyism and patronage that have benefited him and his allies - leaving him and the AKP exposed if out of power. And this is a leader who’s spent the past 20 years in power, and purged his perceived political opponents from government and judicial institutions.

He retains a staunch base of supporters loyal to him and his Justice and Development Party (AKP). Erdo?an has built-in advantages, including control of the media and state resources. ryrr6nWfGv- Timur Kuran May 12, 2023Įven if he loses, that may not settle the question. Erdoğan just decreed that they will continue to get paid for two more years. Barring the unexpected, about 3000 Erdoğan-appointed administrators will be out of a job on Monday morning. So it’s preparing for the post-Erdoğan Era. Team Erdoğan sees the writing on the wall. He’s just authorized that 3,000 administrators get paid for the next two years, even though they will likely be out the door. How do we know that Erdogan thinks he might lose? Here’s a big clue. That would be a huge and positive change for Turkey. Some polls have had Kemal Kilicdaroglu ahead. Opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who leads the Republican People’s Party, heads one of six parties that joined in opposition to Erdogan. Yet this time, he may be voted out, as we’ve previous reported, as some have said he’s in real trouble in this election from an opponent. Musk questioned Yglesias, asking, "Did your brain fall out of your head, Yglesias? The choice is to have Twitter throttled entirely or limit access to some tweets.Turkey is holding a historic election on Sunday.įor 20 years, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held power in Turkey. Matt Yglesias, a liberal blogger from Washington D.C., criticized the company's compliance with the Turkish government's request to censor opponents during an election.Įlon Musk, who will soon step down as CEO but continue to serve as chief technology officer, responded to the criticism, defending the company's actions. This recent decision by Twitter follows a brief period in February when the Turkish government temporarily blocked access to the platform and other social media sites following a devastating earthquake. In an interview this week, he expressed his vision for a freer Turkey, stating, "When we are in power, Turkey will be a country of freedom." Kilicdaroglu, if elected, has vowed to prioritize strengthening democracy and dismantling authoritarian practices.

In addition to selecting a president, Turkish voters will also be electing members of parliament on Sunday. Moreover, Turkey's international relationships, from its ties with the United States to governments across Europe and the Middle East, have been characterized by frequent bouts of crisis. The upcoming election in Turkey is one of the most fiercely contested in recent years, with polls indicating a tight race between opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Erdogan, who has wielded considerable authority over the country for two decades.Įrdogan's potential defeat would have far-reaching implications domestically, as his leadership has been synonymous with personalized, autocratic rule. With much of Turkey's media under government control, there are concerns that Erdogan is tightening his grip on social media platforms to suppress voices of opposition as he strives to maintain his position of power. Critics argue that by complying with demands from Turkey's right-wing leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Musk is succumbing to political pressure.
#Yglesias twitter free#
This move has once again drawn attention to Twitter CEO Elon Musk's controversial stance on free speech.
