Semyon Baghdasaryan Predicts Who Will Become Turkey's President

Tomorrow, on May 14th, presidential and parliamentary elections will take place in Turkey.

“These elections could end Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s over 20-year reign. The possibility of the opposition winning is quite realistic,” said Semyon Baghdasaryan, head of the Center for Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, in an interview with ‘Parlamentskaya Gazeta’.

One of Turkey's four presidential candidates, Muharrem İnce, withdrew from the race three days before the elections. According to Baghdasaryan, his votes will go to opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

The expert noted that the sociological polls currently yield varying results. “I believe there will be a second round of elections. The possibility of the opposition winning is very realistic, and if Erdoğan wins, the opposition could take to the streets,” Baghdasaryan stated.

“Over the last 20 years, Erdoğan has exhausted many. The country is facing hyperinflation, plus there was a significant earthquake. People are tired and see a real chance to change something. Kılıçdaroğlu advocates for a secular state. He is against Turkey's Islamization being implemented by Erdoğan and is generally a much more predictable figure than the incumbent president,” he added.

Regarding Kılıçdaroğlu's statement that Russia is intervening in the Turkish presidential elections, Semyon Baghdasaryan noted, “This refers to some published content that Erdoğan allegedly showcased. Kılıçdaroğlu, in his commentary, wrote that he still wants to develop relations with Russia. We are not currently working with the opposition; if Kılıçdaroğlu wins, we will have to establish relations with him under the principle of 'better late than never.'”