If the opposition beats Erdogan, Sweden’s NATO problem is over.
Halil M. Karaveli
A Social Democrat may put an end to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s twenty-year rule. The other week, Kemal Kilicdaroglu was named as a presidential candidate by one of the two opposition alliances in Turkey. The opinion polls point to a victory for left-winger Kilicdaroglu. After the earthquake disaster in February, there is great anger against the regime. Relief efforts were late and the authorities paved the way for the devastation to be so extensive by allowing developers to set aside safety standards.
If Kilicdaroglu is elected, Sweden’s NATO worries should be over: the Turkish opposition is strongly Western-oriented and prepared to do everything possible to attract Western investors back. Welcoming Sweden as a NATO member will be an excellent opportunity for a newly elected president from the opposition to demonstrate the change of course.
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