What Can Be Expected from President Erdogan's Third Term? | Inside Story

May 29, 2023 | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan re-elected in run-off vote - but faces big domestic and foreign policy challenges ahead It went to a run-off after a very tight first round, but Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the clear winner of Turkey's presidential election. Opponents expressed dismay with the result reflecting deep political divisions in the country.

A key player between East and West, Turkey's relations are complex with the NATO member also on good terms with Russia. So, what can we expect from Erdogan's third term at home and abroad?

Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault

Guests: Helin Sari Ertem, Associate Prof. of Intern'l Relations at Istanbul Medeniyet University
Ben Aris, Founder/Editor-in-chief, BNE IntelliNews.
Onur Erim, Political Adviser, President of Dragoman Strategies.


One word sums up Turkey perfectly: Janus. Turkey looks in two directions: one side looks West; the other side looks East. It was ever thus; and for the foreseeable future, at least, so it will be. – © Mark Alexander

Erdoğan Hands Banknotes to Supporters outside Turkish Polling Station

May 28, 2023 | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave out money at a polling station where he cast his ballot in Turkey's presidential election runoff. The incumbent head of state handed out banknotes worth 200 lira (£8) while shaking hands with supporters. The polling stations opened for the second round of the presidential election in which Erdoğan hopes to see off a challenge from rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Polls open in Turkish election runoff as Erdoğan hopes to retain power.

Valérie Pécresse: Part-Thatcher, Part-Merkel and Wants to Run France

Valérie Pécresse (left) currently heads France's most populous Île-de-France region | GETTY IMAGES
BBC: France's traditional right-wing Republicans party is preparing to fight for its life in the presidential election next spring. Its surprise choice of Valérie Pécresse as candidate has boosted the party, with a new opinion poll suggesting she could beat Emmanuel Macron to become France's first female president.

You know you're making headway as a female politician when people start analysing your clothes.

For Valérie Pécresse, it began with a red jacket, worn for her victory speech after winning the nomination for Les Républicains.

One daily newspaper even asked fashion historians to decrypt it.

"This red jacket was chosen to distinguish her from the crowd," one said. "It's the colour of power."

Another described it as evoking "warrior spirit [and] blood".

Just a few days later, a poll by Elabe suggested that, if the election were held today, Valérie Pécresse would beat President Macron in a run-off vote by 52% to 48%.

That's encouraging news for a party that's been out of power for nine years, eaten away from one side by Mr Macron and from the other by France's far-right leader, Marine Le Pen. Her close ally and senator for Hauts-de-Seine, Roger Karoutchi, says Mrs Pécresse is a reassuring figure, because of her experience in running the Paris region with its 12 million inhabitants.

"It's not enough to be a woman; you have to be a stateswoman," he said. "[She] has been a minister, a deputy, a regional president. She has a proven track record on issues like secularism and security. She's extremely pugnacious: when she has a goal, she goes for it." » | Lucy Williamson, BBC Paris correspondent | Saturday, December 11, 2021

Présidentielle 2022 : la popularité de Valérie Pécresse en forte hausse, selon un sondage : La candidate LR à l'élection présidentielle est la deuxième personnalité préférée des Français, selon le baromètre Odoxa-Mascaret pour LCP-Assemblée nationale, Public Sénat et la presse régionale. »

As French Election Looms, Candidates Stake Out Tough Positions on Migrants

THE NEW YORK TIMES: France has fewer immigrants than other rich nations. But politicians are hardening their positions against immigration even as other countries compete for migrant workers.

Migrants waiting to be allocated emergency accommodation by a nonprofit organization in Paris in April. | Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
PARIS — An out-of-control influx of immigrants. A threat to French identity and stability. A reason to urgently close France’s frontiers.

The issue of immigration is dominating political debate in the country five months before presidential elections, as candidates on the right as well as the left harden their positions. The drowning last week of 27 migrants off France’s northern coast has only added to the argument that migration must be checked.

Despite the fierce words on the campaign trail, the reality is far different: Nearly all of France’s neighbors have a greater proportion of immigrants in their populations. In the past decade, immigration has grown less in France than in the rest of Europe or in other rich nations worldwide.

The figures show that the migration situation in France is “rather ordinary, rather moderate,’’ said François Héran, a leading expert on migration who teaches at Collège de France. “We’re really not a country overrun by immigration,’’ Mr. Héran said. » | Norimitsu Onishi | Thursday, December 2, 2021

A Climate of Political Defiance in Run Up to France's 2017 Presidential Election

Putin, Le Pen and the Millions behind Her Presidential Campaign

Can Manuel Valls Unite the Left ahead of 2017?

Far-right Has Second Chance in Austria’s Election Re-run

Austria is a country divided, at least as far as the presidential runoff goes. This is a re-run of an election held six months ago and so far the count is too close to call.

Far-right at the Gates of Power in Austria

Far-right Leader Ahead in Austria Presidential Polls

Austrians are set to vote in presidential election on Sunday that will decide the fate of far-right leader Norbert Hofer. If the vote goes his way, Hofer could become Europe's first freely-elected far-right leader since World War Two.

‘Mr 4%’ Hollande Out of Race: First Leader Not Seeking Re-election in Modern French History

The French president's ruled himself out of running for a second term. François Hollande's surprise move makes him the first incumbent leader in the country's modern history to not seek re-election.

President Hollande Will Not Run for Second Term in France

French president François Hollande announces on Thursday night that he will not seek a second term in the upcoming presidential election. In a televised address, Hollande says he is aware of the risks to the left if he were to run without garnering enough support. He is the least popular French president since the second world war.

Read the Guardian article here

Can France Resist the Far Right? Natalie Nougaryede

Now that François Fillon has become the French right’s presidential candidate, it is possible that he will face Marine Le Pen of the Front National in the final round.

France: Presidential Election a Faceoff between Right and Far-right

Conservative candidate François Fillon had sealed a resounding victory in the right-wing primary in France.

My Last Vote – About the Austrian Presidential Elections

“This is probably the last election for me.“ Gertrude, 89, pensioner from Vienna asked us to publish this video statement.“

Norbert Hofer Loses Austrian Presidential Election Despite Initial Success

Moderate Cleric Hassan Rohani Wins Iran Presidential Election in 1st Round
Moderate cleric Hassan Rohani has won Iran's presidential election with just over 50 percent of votes, state TV reported. 72 percent of the 50 million Iranians turned out to vote, said Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar

Obama Campaign Struggling to Win over Florida Voters as Enthusiasm Wanes
THE GUARDIAN: The president needs to convince the elderly that Romney will hurt Medicare – and to persuade young voters to show up at all

The banners, flags and T-shirts – Women for Obama, Hispanics for Obama, LBTG for Obama – plaster Democratic campaign offices in the hard fought swing state of Florida, just as in 2008. What's missing this time is the people.

Four years ago Barack Obama's campaign was flooded by volunteers – the young in particular – excited by his vision of remaking America, and by the prospect of putting an African American in the White House. Now active support in Florida is visibly more sparse, and it may prove decisive as Democrats struggle to claw back the state from Mitt Romney.

"This election's not as inspirational as the last one was," said Robert Obry, deputy field organiser at a near deserted Obama campaign office in Ybor City, a historic Tampa neighbourhood popular for its bars, music and cigars. "This one is more about straight politics. Even my grandmother, who is a Republican, voted for Obama last time which kind of blew my mind. This time she's not voting for him because she says not enough has changed." » | Chris McGreal in Tampa | Monday, October 22, 2012

Koch Brothers Threaten to Fire Employees If Obama Wins

RT.COM: The billionaire Koch brothers this month threatened to fire many of their more than 50,000 employees if they dare to vote for President Obama or any other Democrats in the 2012 elections.

The Kansas-based Koch brothers, who run a multi-national group of companies called the Koch Industries, sent a voter information packet to 45,000 of its Georgia Pacific subsidiary this month, threatening that “many of our more than 50,000 US employees and contractors may suffer the consequences” if they vote for Democrats. The packet also included an op-ed by David Koch endorsing Mitt Romney and one by Charles Koch slamming Obama, reported the monthly magazine, In These Times. The brothers also warned that electing Democrats would also lead to other consequences, including higher gasoline prices, runaway inflation and “other ills.”

“This is true regardless of what your political affiliation might be,” reads the cover letter to the packet, written by Koch Industries President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Robertson. » | Monday, October 15, 2012

François Hollande Elected as French President
With the celebrations barely over, France's president-elect has already got down to business, promising massive change. Francois Hollande says he'll spend more and create new jobs. The Socialist leader says he'll also challenge the strict economic austerity measures imposed by Europe. Al Jazeera's Emma Hayward reports from Paris, the French capital.

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