As many here in the forum know, I generally sympathize with Erdoğan, without being a blind supporter. While undeniable and serious mistakes have been made in domestic policy, I view these as the price the country must pay for its foreign policy and strategic independence. Turkey's path toward an autonomous policy is inherently accompanied by significant economic pressure from abroad. This manifests itself, among other things, in targeted downgrades by US and European rating agencies, a persistent negative framing in Western media, as well as blockades and sanctions that have direct impacts on the national currency, international investor confidence, and global supply chains.
Therefore, it falls short to portray the economic turbulence as a purely homegrown problem. If politicians like İmamoğlu or Özel were in power today and pursued the same legitimate claim to independence—whether in the defense industry, trade, or the Mavi Vatan (Blue Homeland) doctrine—the external pressure would be exactly the same. This is not an exclusive "Erdoğan problem," but rather the West's lack of willingness to accept Turkey as a partner on equal terms, given its geographical and strategic key role. The government's much-debated interest rate policy merely acted as a catalyst within this framework, the harsh consequences of which the population must now bear, but it was not the actual root cause.
I also consider the thesis that Kılıçdaroğlu was Erdoğan's puppet to be completely false. In the last presidential election, he was almost neck and neck and was backed by an unprecedented, cross-party alliance. Rather, his failure was the result of fundamental strategic mistakes during the election campaign. Instead of building bridges, he positioned himself aggressively against Erdoğan in almost every interview, completely failing to connect emotionally with the traditionally conservative, religious center-right electorate. By not only criticizing the policies but often launching sweeping attacks on Erdoğan and his voter base, he ultimately drove the conservative center back into the government's camp. Instead of prioritizing the real economic concerns of these people and proving economic competence, the campaign often devolved into a moral mudslinging match. When conservative voters feel belittled by the opposition leader, they will, when in doubt, choose the familiar—namely Erdoğan—even if they are suffering from inflation.
The second crucial mistake of the opposition was disparaging national prestige projects in the defense industry, simply because their initial spark originated from the AKP or was heavily supported by it. Strategically speaking, a party must not attack projects that benefit the entire country while simultaneously strengthening the collective self-confidence of the population. Success breeds success—a phenomenon that can also be seen historically in Germany, where achievements in sports, technology, and the economy have shaped the nation's self-image for over half a century. By discrediting these successes instead of embracing them as a source of non-partisan national pride, the opposition cost itself the election victory.
That is just my opinion on the matter...
