Highlights of the week of May 8-14
The world's attention is now focused on Turkey as presidential and parliamentary elections are held there today, the outcome of which is still difficult to predict.
Erdogan could lose his seat
Turkey's current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been in power for 20 years. However, in the months since the beginning of the year, his position and influence have changed drastically. The country's opposition has united in an alliance against the ruling bloc and it looks like this decision could change the balance of power.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Sinan Oğan are Erdogan's main rivals in what has already been dubbed the most important election. The former is a member of the opposition alliance, while the latter is a nationalist politician who has collected the 100,000 signatures required by law to enter the race.
The most dangerous candidate for the incumbent ruler is Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who has fairly strong political support. While Erdogan's own position is gradually weakening.
Turkey has experienced a serious economic crisis for years. Inflation in the country reached 85% in 2022 and weakened only weeks before the election. The second major blow to the president's reputation was the earthquake that struck the south of the country. One of the reasons for this massive destruction and the deaths that followed is considered to be poor development, which took place precisely during Erdogan's rule.
Subsequently, people have calmed down and seemingly even regained confidence in the politician. Perhaps in the hope of promised aid for the victims. However, the election will reveal the real state of affairs. According to the preliminary results, Erdogan is in the lead. However, this could change once 100% of the votes are counted.
To win in the 1st round – more than 50% of the votes are needed. If that does not happen, politicians will face a second round, which will be held on May 28.
Drug boat arrested in India
Operation Samudragupt, launched by the Government of India and the Indian Navy, led to the arrest of a vessel that was carrying 2.5 tonnes of methamphetamine for sale in India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
A shipment of banned goods originating in Afghanistan was discovered just off the coast of Kerala. A Pakistani national was aboard and was arrested on the spot. The shipment itself was pre-packed into 134 sacks. Its total value is estimated at 1.4 billion US dollars.
It was the third major drug shipment confiscated by Indian authorities in the past year and a half. A total of more than 3 tons of methamphetamine, 500 kilograms of heroin and about 529 kilograms of hashish were stopped.
