Türkiye’s Upcoming Elections

Türkiye approaches its pivotal presidential and parliamentary elections as the nation’s political landscape becomes increasingly more competitive with the People’s Alliance and the Nation Alliance vying for majority in the Turkish Parliament. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is being challenged by three candidates including the main opposition’s Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Memleket Party’s Muharrem İnce, and ATA alliance’s Sinan Oğan. These elections will have far-reaching consequences, as they will not only shape Türkiye’s political landscape for the next five years but also set the tone for economic outlook, national security, and regional stability. The outcome will have significant foreign policy implications for the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, relations with the EU and the US as well as neighboring countries. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes, voters will judge the candidates’ ability to rebuild the country, address the sensitive topics around Kurdish, Alevi and refugee issues, combat terrorism, and address regional challenges. The stakes are high as the results of these elections will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping Türkiye’s future both domestically and on the international stage.

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to shed light on the forthcoming Turkish elections, explore the candidates’ chances of success, and discuss potential outcomes.

Speakers

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator at The SETA Foundation

Talha Köse, Chair, Political Science and International Relations Department, Ibn Haldun University

Moderator

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC