Istanbul (AsiaNews) - For the first time in its history Turkey will democratically elect the President of the Republic tomorrow. It seems that nothing can stop the triumphant march of the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan towards the coveted seat of the presidency, which he strongly supported in the constitutional reform, a reform he led.
The only question that remains is whether he will be directly elected in the first round tomorrow or second round on August 24.
For the presidential election to be valid a quorum of 50% of the votes plus one must be reached.
The allegations of corruption against the current prime minister appear to have made little impact on the average Turkish voter. In short, neither the creeping corruption of the regime installed by Erdogan, nor the allegations of corruption that have touched his closest associates and family, nor his authoritarianism, nor his constant lies have impacted his popularity among the bulk of Turkish society.
His frenetic campaign was characterized by continuous weekly meetings and sermons on the new Turkey that he wants to establish after his election to the presidency. And above all, it was built not on programs, but on constant personal attacks against those who accused him of corruption and abuse of power.
As a result, there was the arrest of all those policemen, judges and journalists who have tried to stop the creeping and widespread corruption of the new Turkish According to Erdogan the main obstacle to his triumphal march and his arch rival is Fettullah Gulen, who has been accused of having created a para-state through his network of affiliates in the public administration.
However, it should be noted that the Turkish opposition CHP, heir to Kemali secularism, together with the MHP, the ultra-nationalist party, have proven themselves incapable of presenting any real alternative. Rather, as Istanbul circles ironically observe, for the first time the party of Turkish secular fundamentalism, the CHP, have put forward an Islamic candidate in Ekmelendin Ihsanoglu, ex-president of the Islamic World Organization, accused by Erdogan of not even being Turkish, as he was born to Turkish parents in Egypt.
In reality the only person who has actually said something new, on a sustainable socio-economic future for Turkey, was the co-president of the pro-Kurdish Selahatin Demirtas (HDP secular democratic party), who polls estimate may gain 8% of the vote. A small percentage but certainly one with prospects.