- Celebrations continued to take place in the early hours of the morning over President Recap Tayyip Erdogan’s victory; jubilant crowds were seen celebrating outside of his ruling party’s Istanbul headquarters.
- What can we analyse from the re-election of President Erdogan? And how might this impact Türkiye and the rest of the Muslim world?
The political tensions in Türkiye between orthodox Muslims who practise Islam as a way of life, and secularists who wear Islam loosely as an identity have been rife. This is a product of the overlapping processes of secularism and nationalization of the recent past. The two candidates who went head to head in the recent elections were representatives of both camps. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his strongest opposition, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Yesterday’s presidential runoff saw Erdogan win the election by 52% to 48%, a margin of more than 2 million votes.
But what was at stake here? Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s Religion: Exploring His Faith (nashikcorporation.in) identifies as an Alevi. This is considered heterodox by the overwhelming majority of Muslims. His pro-LGBTQ stance made him a direct threat to Islamic values being practised in Turkey. Furthermore, his anti-immigration policy was set to have caused much division in the Ummah.
It is therefore a great victory for many Muslims around the world that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been re-elected for another five years. This will, in shaa Allah (God-willing), facilitate keeping traditional Islamic values on Turkish soil. During Erdogan’s campaign, he was quoted as saying, “We are against the LGBT,” at one rally near the Black Sea. “Family is sacred to us; a strong family means a strong nation.” In addition, Erdogan expressed his ambition of increasing the country’s economic and geopolitical power.
Erdogan’s victory speech
Addressing thousands of his supporters outside the Presidential Palace, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrated his victory by declaring, “It is our democracy who won this election.”
“We are not the only winners, the winner is Turkey. The winner is our nation with all its segments, our democracy is the winner,” he said.
President Erdogan calls for the unification of the country
“Now is the time to put aside all the debates and conflicts regarding the election period and unite around our national goals and dreams. We make this call with all our heart.”
Refugee crisis
“To date, we have voluntarily returned nearly 600,000 people to safe areas in Syrian territory. With a new resettlement project we are carrying out with Qatar, we will ensure the return of 1 million more people in a few years,” Erdogan said.
Inflation
“Resolving the problems caused by the price increases and by inflation is the most urgent topic of the coming days,” Erdogan said.
Earthquake recovery
Erdogan said that with the election over, it is time to “allocate all our time and energy to working and serving.”
“Healing the wounds of the earthquake and resurrecting our destroyed cities will continue to be at the top of our priorities,” he said.
Erdogan invokes Allah during victory speech
What can we learn from Erdogan’s Victory?
However, Erdogan’s previous diplomatic ties with Israel have been rather paradoxical to his continued condemnation of the terrorist state. We pray that there will be a change in his approach to Israel. Israeli Officials Expect Erdogan to Push to Deepen Ties After Reelection – Israel News – Haaretz.com
We learn that Türkiye has great hope, as does the rest of the Islamic world. With so much pessimism and talk of the secularisation of Turkey, this win illustrates that perhaps it’s time for a complete revolution in Türkiye (in shaa Allah). The re-election of President Erdogan is certainly a wake up call for many secularists in the Arab world who were backing Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’ during this election.
Erdogan and the Turkish Economy
In 2002, President Erdogan made Turkey an autonomous state as prior to this, Turkey was ridden with debt. From 2002 to 2012, Turkish exports amassed $152 billion. During this time, Turkey’s GDP impressively rose by over 45%. Erdogan has now vowed to turn Turkey into the top ten economies in the world. Turkey has erased all its debt. However, analysts expect Turkey’s economic crisis to worsen as the Turkish lira has devalued steadily in recent years, including halving in value in one year alone, dropped close to a historic low as markets opened the morning after Sunday’s vote.
With Erdogan’s previous track record, it is very possible that this could dramatically turn around (God-willing).
We pray that Erdogan’s re-election is a means for strength in the Ummah around the world and that the people of Türkiye will prosper from this re-election with guidance, unity, and peace….Ameen
This election was never an election for being religious and not being. First gay marriage after accepting Istanbul LGBT agreement, organised child abuses in Qur’an courses, woman killings, corruption in government, robing the national treasure, and so many incidents happened during his management. He has been labeled as “If there was another prophet after Hz. Muhammad SAV, he would be Erdoğan” “He carries all attributes of Allah (CC)” Astagfirullah… He referred an Hadisi Qudsi and said “Undoubtedly, my mercy has surpassed my wrath.” like Allah astaghfirullah. These are Shirq, Which color you paint, it doesnt change. These are shirq. And he never rejected those attributes of labels.
As a practising muslim, me and many educated muslims were aginst him. But he “purchased ignorant muslims” with some promises, poems and emotionalism. What can I say, this is what we deserve. As long as we do not change what is in ourselves, Allah will not change our position. He is just a cat from the rat amongs the rats. (some should know the story)
“But they plans, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners…” Surah Ali ‘Imran (3:54)
Turkish youth becoming more deist and atheist , one of the main reason is unfairness, nepotism, corruptions of these regime.
In last earthquake at least 200k people died. They were allowing unregistered , uncontrolled building for the sake of vote and for several times. When People died nobody took responsibility and resign. Somehow you can be an instrument of this so called “religious” regime willingly or unwillingly.
Your serious concern with him is just his ties with Israel. How superficial approach to this Opportunistic leader. The other ties do not matter, which leads youth deism or atheism in Muslim families.
What is the punishment’s of a corrupted leaders in Islam? Following them blindfold. Even Muslims, his supporter know and declare how corrupted he is, Take no action to fix , but when election comes they remember they are Muslim. And they should vote a leader who recites Quran, who uses all religious entity as a political argument. What a hypocrisy Muslims are living in Turkey, you have no idea.
Mark down my words. You will see downfall and you will see the real ties what he has. Unfairness, nepotism, corruptions, ethics etc. do not matter for them. Muslims are pawns in the opportunistic leader hand. Keep clapping for his success and amazed with delusions.
“But they plans, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners…” Surah Ali ‘Imran (3:54)
May Allah continue to direct our great leader ? Erdogan Amiin ya Rabil Alamiin
Allahou Akbar! I am so happy to hear that! In this way he can help the ummah In cha Allah !