Although the European Union (EU), the USA and NATO wished for the victory of the opposition in the elections in Turkey, after the first round of elections the prevailing opinion is that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could still maintain power and continue the policy of cooperation with Russia, which the West, while stifling democracy and of media freedom, most resent Erdogan.
Explaining Erdogan's advantage in the first round of elections, the media in the EU point out that the Turkish "autocratic ruler" has now played more on the nationalist and less religious Islamist card, and thus the Turkish portal T24 says that in addition Erdogan "slandered the opposition as terror and terrorists, which attracted 'patriotic' voters".
European media reporters from Turkey indicate that Erdogan accused the opposition of siding with the Kurds, whom he claims are separatists and terrorists, as well as supporting "gay-lesbian" circles, and being repulsive to the Islamic faith.
The German portal Deutsche Welle says that the elections also show that "Turkey is actually a deeply divided society and in a severe crisis, for which President Erdogan is responsible, who has ruled for more than 20 years and de facto holds all power with his presidential system."
Like other media and analysts, Deutsche Vele points out that "the election campaign was anything but fair, about 90 percent of the media were loyal to the Government and they simply imposed the Government's view of things on a large part of the people."
"Another reason is the numerous election gifts that President Erdogan has been handing out in recent months: an increase in the minimum hourly wage, an increase in wages in the public sector and early retirement. People are grateful for such benefits and they showed it at the polls," adds the German portal, referring to explanations of Turkish political analysts.
And, as he states, "the ruling AKP party used the entire state apparatus for its election campaign, almost all the ministers toured the country agitating for the government coalition, the separation of the civil service from the party function could not be seen, Erdogan himself opened a new one every Sunday a big state project".
On the other side of the Atlantic, the American "Council on International Relations (CFR)" assesses that "Erdogan's greatest strength is that he has control over the media."
"Given the prevailing influence on the Turkish media and the fact that about 80 percent of the population speaks only Turkish, message-framing has been one of Erdogan's most powerful tools for winning electoral votes," CFR notes.
Media analysts, such as the British Guardian, also estimate that the fact that Erdogan's party coalition managed to get over 50 seats in the parliament means that "his increasingly autocratic rule will enter the third decade."
The Guardian says it has been almost impossible for opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu to withstand attacks from the government-controlled media, even though the 74-year-old politician is considered a staunch anti-corruption fighter and is the leader of the Kemalist-secular Republican People's Party (CHP), which wants to abolish the presidential power of Erdogan and restore parliamentary democracy.
The Greek newspaper Naftemboriki, among others, points out that relations between "the EU and Turkey are frozen" and states that the European Commission will not unfreeze membership negotiations with Ankara "as long as Erdogan is at the head of the Turkish government."
In the analysis, it is also said that the pledge of the Turkish elections is a direct influence on the geopolitical situation and the role of both sides in Western support for Kiev in the war with Russia."
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