Turkey's Erdogan hit out at opponent Kilicdaroglu over Russian election interference claim

In a heated exchange ahead of Turkey's upcoming elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized his opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu for baselessly accusing Moscow of meddling in the country's political affairs. He claimed that it is the West, not Russia, that is attempting to manipulate the election outcomes, as per a report from Russia Today.

Addressing a crowd of supporters in Istanbul, Erdogan rebuked Kilicdaroglu's allegations, stating, "Russia is manipulating the elections in Turkey. Shame on you!" Kilicdaroglu had earlier claimed on Twitter that Turkey's "Russian friends" were behind the dissemination of fabricated videos and conspiracies intended to influence the election campaign.

Context

Kilicdaroglu's remarks likely referred to the release of a video allegedly depicting Muharrem Ince, another presidential candidate, involved in an extramarital affair. On Thursday, Ince withdrew from the race, accusing supporters of exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government holds responsible for the failed coup in 2016, of orchestrating the scandal.

Despite Kilicdaroglu's assertions, there is no evidence linking Russia to the creation or distribution of the video, and the Kremlin firmly rejected the claims. Erdogan took the opportunity to question Kilicdaroglu's allegations by asking, "If I say 'America is manipulating the elections in Turkey, Germany is manipulating it, France is manipulating it, England is manipulating it,' what would you say?"

While Erdogan did not directly link Western nations to the release of Ince's sex tape, his Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu, suggested that the Gulen movement and the United States were behind it. Soylu claimed that "America has been interfering in this election from the very beginning," aiming to exclude Ince from contention and influence his supporters to side with Kilicdaroglu.

Erdogan criticised Western media organizations, accusing them of attempting to shape Turkish public opinion against him. Ince's withdrawal from the race potentially benefits Erdogan's main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, as it consolidates anti-Erdogan votes. However, Ince's centrist party, Homeland, will continue to contest seats in the parliamentary race.

As the election draws closer, Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu are expected to engage in a closely contested race, with high voter turnout anticipated, according to pollsters. The political landscape in Turkey remains tense as accusations and counter-accusations fly between candidates, each vying for an edge in the upcoming elections. The results will shape the future trajectory of the country and its leadership.