Erdogan wins again - 2nd June 2023

President Recep Tayyip Ergodan has secured a win in Turkey's recent elections. He's ruled for the past two decades and will remain until 2028.

Erdogan's religious AK party beat Kemal Kilicdaroglu's secular opposition party by four percent. The results were so close, a second round of voting had to take place. Turkey's suffering from a financial crisis, a recent major earthquake and high levels of refugee migration. These have split public opinion. Gursel Ozkok's satisfied with Erdogan's victory.

Gursel Ozkok: "It went as I expected. I think the person who's beneficial to our country won. I'm very happy. I'm happy because of his beliefs. The rest isn't important. The country comes first."

Some young voters, who have dreams for their future lives and work, don't feel optimistic.

Kerem: "I don't have hope anymore. I don't have hope for Turkey. I want to move abroad as soon as possible. I'm an engineering student and it will be better for me elsewhere."

Erdogan has reshaped Turkey's government by giving the president more authority in the constitution. Since 2017, the president has more power to declare a state of emergency or to hire and fire civil servants without the permission of parliament. People who oppose Erdogan are demanding an end to this style of government. They prefer having a prime minister as well. They also fear that Erdogan will give the role of president more authority.

The opposition leader, Kilicdaroglu is convinced that the elections were unfair. However, Erdogan's ready to return to office and has called for national unity.

Some people, like student Aziz Fatih Gemci, are trying to be realistic.

Aziz Fatih Gemci: "This is the will of the people. I hope the economy will be better. I hope our purchasing power will increase. This is our main priority."