Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has intensified his rhetoric against his political opposition, accusing them of being “pro-LGBT” during a rally in Istanbul. The comments come as Erdogan faces a tight election in a week’s time, with polls indicating this may be his biggest electoral challenge in two decades of power.
Erdogan’s Anti-LGBT Stance
Addressing his conservative Muslim voter base at the rally, Erdogan stated, “AK Party and other parties in our alliance would never be pro-LGBT, because family is sacred to us. We will bury those pro-LGBT in the ballot box.” The president’s remarks against the LGBT community have become more severe in recent years, with Erdogan frequently labeling members as “deviants.”
In addition to targeting the opposition’s LGBT stance, Erdogan attacked his key election rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who heads the main opposition alliance. Erdogan accused Kilicdaroglu of receiving support from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a terrorist group recognized by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
Opposition Faces Violence
Meanwhile, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), experienced violence at an election rally in the eastern city of Erzurum, a stronghold of Erdogan’s AK Party. Protesters threw stones at Imamoglu and his supporters, resulting in nine injuries.
Imamoglu later announced that he would file a criminal complaint against the Erzurum governor and police chief for allowing the violence to occur. The opposition has denounced Erdogan’s claims linking them to terrorists as divisive and dangerous campaign rhetoric.
As Turkey prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14, the heated political climate raises concerns about the potential for further unrest.