Critics' Fears Rise as Erdogan Leads Turkey's Presidential Race

By Sarah Price - 04 Aug '14 07:13AM

As Turkey is all set to hold its first Presidential polls next Sunday, political analysts and critics fear that if front runner Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan wins, it might lead to an autocratic one-man rule.

Erdogan and his Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party (AKP) have ruled Turkey for more than a decade now. But if he becomes the President, Erdogan would serve two more five-year terms ruling this country of 76 million people.

AFP reports that Erdogan's victory would make him Turkey's longest-serving ruler since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the country who based the nation on strict principles of secularism.

Even though the position, in the last few decades, enjoyed only a ceremonial role, Erdogan said that he will press for a change in the constitution to grant more powers to the President.

With more than a decade of experience in the country's politics, Erdogan definitely has an edge over his rivals - Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu (70), a diplomat with a brief experience in domestic politics, and Selahattin Demirtas (41), a young Kurdish hopeful - Reuters reports.

Ihsanoglu is the mild-mannered former head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, whose nature is in contrast to the premier's. On the other hand, nominated by pro-Kurdish forces - Demirtas - could perform well and it is his performance that will determine if the election will go to a runoff.

Critics say that Erdogan has divided the Turkish society along secular-religious lines, worrying Turkey's western allies.

"In my opinion, Erdogan is like an athlete permitted to use illegal steroids or drugs yet permitted to compete. His time in power, his popularity and his charismatic appeal give him a fair advantage as an incumbent. However, his use of state funds and resources without any discretion gives him a very unfair advantage" said Cem Toker, head of Turkey's opposition Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) - which is backing Ihsanoglu. Toker has written extensively about Turkey's electoral system.