CEE leaders respond to Erdogan victory in Turkey

Leaders in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after his re-election on Sunday, 28 May, after a tough election campaign that posed a significant challenge to his two-decade-long rule.

Having sealed another five years in power, Erdogan holds a position of considerable influence in regional and global politics, as well as the futures of 85 million Turks.

The country’s position as a key NATO power at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East made the election a pivotal event. Erdogan’s recent role in brokering the Black Sea grain deal, enabling Ukraine to resume exporting wheat to alleviate a global food crisis, underscored his international standing.

CEE strongmen send congratulations

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban celebrated Erdogan’s “indisputable election victory!” while Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic conveyed his congratulations to Erdogan and the Turkish people for their successful electoral achievement.

Like Orban, Erdogan is one of the rare NATO leaders who maintains positive relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even in the aftermath of Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine.

Putin remarked that Erdogan’s win demonstrated the Turkish people’s appreciation for his dedicated work and independent foreign policy. In a message to Erdogan, Putin said election victory naturally resulted from Erdogan’s efforts to strengthen Turkey’s sovereignty and pursue an autonomous foreign policy.

Erdogan’s government’s purchase of Russian missile-defence systems led to Turkey’s exclusion from a US-led fighter-jet initiative. However, Turkey played a vital role in brokering a significant deal that facilitated Ukrainian grain shipments and averted a global food crisis.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Erdogan on his victory and expressed hopes for a stronger strategic partnership and enhanced cooperation for the benefit of both nations and the security and stability of Europe.

EU top brass, Scholz, Macron stress need for cooperation

Within the EU, Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined in congratulating Erdogan on his election victory. Michel expressed anticipation for further deepening EU-Turkey relations in the coming years, while von der Leyen stressed the strategic importance of advancing the EU-Turkey relationship for the benefit of respective populations.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz highlighted the deep interconnection between both countries and emphasised the need to advance their common agenda with renewed energy.

French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the challenges facing France and Turkey and expressed a shared determination to forge ahead. Macron affirmed that France and Turkey would continue progressing together in areas such as restoring peace to Europe, the future of the Euro-Atlantic Alliance, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Erdogan enters third decade in power

Erdogan secured Turkey’s presidency with an official tally of 52.14% of the votes, as confirmed by head of the Supreme Election Council chief Ahmet Yener.

The elections, in which over 64 million eligible Turkish voters participated, occurred amid a backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis that witnessed inflation peaking at 85% in October. Additionally, the country faced earthquakes in February that claimed the lives of over 50,000.

Erdogan, who assumed power in 2003, ran on a ticket of further development and promising to extend the progress achieved by his ruling Justice and Development Party government.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Erdogan’s rival in the run-off, garnered 47.86% of the votes, with a gap of over two million votes between the candidates. Consequently, the remaining uncounted ballots would not alter the outcome, according to Yener. While Kilicdaroglu refrained from formally conceding defeat, he expressed concern about the future of the nation.