Iflah Oluklu, 23, chastised his friend for disrespecting some supporters of the Turkish president.
The two friends are split in their allegiances. Oluklu described himself as a nationalist, and said he intended to support Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a tightly contested presidential election on 14 May. "Erdoğan is like a father figure for us in Turkey. He's been running the country for 20 years ... among this opposition, there's no one who can replace him," he said.
His friend Kaan, a supporter of the main opposition Republican People's party (CHP), who declined to give his surname, disagreed. "I just don't think this country is governed well, and I want people's voices to be heard by those in power," he said. "I really think this might be the end for Erdoğan."
After two decades in power, Erdoğan is facing a concerted challenge. Polls show his main rival, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, a former accountant and longtime bureaucrat, has a slight edge. The vote presents a stark choice for the Turkish public, between Erdoğan and the possibility that re-electing him will entrench one-man rule, or his opponents who have promised to overhaul the presidential system and return Turkey to parliamentary democracy.
Denne historien er fra April 21, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra April 21, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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