By Syed Atiq ul Hassan;
Tayyip Erdogan has shaken up world politics by winning the Turkish elections for the third time and maintaining his 20-year rule. Europe and the United States were trying hard to get Erdogan out of power this time and his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu to take over the power of Turkey, and if this happens, it would certainly benefit Europe, especially the United Kingdom and the United States. , was to be a major blow to President Putin, given Russia’s war with Ukraine. But it didn’t happen. Tayyip Erdoğan, the owner of a strong heart and leadership, during the election campaign, highlighted the importance to the Turkish nation of maintaining its power for another five years. In Turkey, if no candidate gets more than a fifty percent majority, then another round of elections is held. As no party could get a fifty percent majority in the first round then the second round took place. In this round, 99.43 votes were counted, out of which Tayyip Erdoğan got 52.14 percent of the votes, while Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu got 47.86 percent. The competition was very tough, but in the end, the Turkish people gave victory to Tayyip Erdogan for the third time.
A third victory for Tayyip Erdogan would mean a continuation of international and regional politics for his Turkey. Erdogan was first elected as Prime Minister in 2003. After holding the position of Prime Minister for eleven years, Tayyip Erdogan became the President of Turkey in 2014. President Tayyip Erdogan, during his reign, removed the dictatorship from Turkey forever by changing the constitution.
President Erdoğan’s major achievement was to keep the country stable and the morale of the people high during the terrible earthquake of February 2023. The victory in the recent elections shows that he succeeded in this. Fifty thousand people were killed in this earthquake and hundreds of residential and non-residential buildings were demolished. President Erdoğan encouraged his people and faced the situation with strength and faith in God (Allah). President Erdoğan is said to be a true Muslim and a person who has full faith in Allah. He has memorized Qur’an by heart and recites it with great compassion.
President Erdoğan lifted the declining economy before and after the earthquake and stabilized the government economically. Today, Tayyip Erdogan has added Turkey to the list of ten independent countries in the world. With another five years at the helm, it is unlikely that President Erdogan will make any dramatic changes in his domestic policy. In foreign policy, President Erdoğan will further strengthen relations with Russia, Iran, China, and the Middle Eastern states.
In 1918 – 1920, there was a war between the Ottoman Empire and the European Allies, also known as the First World War. In that war, the Ottoman Empire was heavily defeated, and Turkey had to sign a hundred-year treaty with European Allies, according to which many parts of the Ottoman Empire, including the current states of the Middle East, became independent from Turkey. Britain and France, including Saudi Arabia, the Arab Emirates, and other states of the Middle East came into being. In 1923, Turkey signed an agreement with Great Britain, Ireland, France, Russia, Italy, and other small European countries under the name of the Treaty of Lausanne. Caliph Kemal Atatürk of the Ottoman Empire was defeated. Kemal Ata Turk’s family was deported from Turkey. Turkey remained a small state. The Treaty of Lausanne is a detailed agreement between Turkey and Europe that is now expiring in 2023. President Tayyip Erdogan is anxiously waiting for the end of this agreement. In principle, after the end of this treaty, all the states of the Middle East that were included in the Ottoman Empire should now join Turkey, however, President Tayyip Erdogan has assured Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other states that Turkey will not pursue to control these states again instead Turkey will promote good friendly relations with Arab states. On president Erdogan’s announcement, the Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, value the foresight and wisdom of President Tayyip Erdogan. Today Turkey has stable relations with the Middle East, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and all the countries of the region.
President Tayyip Erdogan has said that after the end of the Ottoman Empire’s alliance with Europe, Turkey will emerge again as a great state in the Islamic world.
Australia has a large Turkish community. Most of the Turkish community has settled in Sydney and Melbourne for the past sixty years or so. Most people are entrepreneurs, restaurant owners, and shopkeepers. The Turkish community has played a significant role in the development of the Islamic community in Australia. There is a strong Turkish community in Sydney’s Auburn area, where Australia’s largest mosque was built by a Turkish community named Gallipoli Mosque.
Turkish citizens living abroad have the right to vote in Turkish elections. In recent elections, Turkish citizens living in Australia participated in the elections. The majority of people voted for President Tayyip Erdogan. The news of President Tayyip Erdogan’s victory spread wildfire in the Turkish community. Members of the Turkish community raced out of their homes on vehicles and on foot to Auburn’s commercial center, then into the night under a moonlit sky. The national songs of Turkey were being played in loud voices. Young men, women, and elders danced the night away on the Auburn highway, in front of shops and restaurants. Along with members of the Turkish community, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Africans also cheered and joined in the celebrations.
The Islamic community of Australia says that President Tayyip Erdogan is not only a Muslim leader of Turkey but also a global Muslim leader on whom the hopes of the entire Islamic world depend. After the end of the Ottoman Empire and the alliance with Europe, Turkey will be a great power and Tayyip Erdogan will emerge as the world leader of Muslims.
World leaders congratulated Tayyip Erdogan on his third consecutive victory. USA President Jo Biden and Russian President Putin have sent congratulatory messages to President Tayyip Erdogan. US President Biden, instead of naming Tayyip Erdogan, said in his message that he will continue to work with NATO member countries to face global challenges. Russian President Putin has said that President Erdogan’s election victory has proved that the Turkish people are happy with Tayyip Erdogan and his domestic and foreign policies. He said that the relations between Russia and Turkey will be stronger in the next five years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his message that he hopes President Erdogan will improve the defense and security issues of the region.
The heads of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Palestine, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates also congratulated President Erdogan.
The Australian Prime Minister has said in his message to President Erdogan that he hopes that the bilateral relationship between Australia and Turkey will be more stable and the long-term relationship of bilateral interest between the two countries will be further promoted. (Syed Atiq ul Hassan is a Sydney-based Journalist, political analyst, anthropologist, and editor Tribune International, Australia – his email address is shassan@tribune-intl.com )
Concluded on 31 May 2023
