General Election Turkey 2018

Turkish opposition is a 4-party coalition cobbled together. Yet, Sunday June 24th is set to be a bad day for them. Tayyip Erdogan is heading for another absolute one-man rule with his dog-whistle rhetoric, all set to enjoy power for ten more years.

Initially, Turkey earned the proud reputation of the world's fastest growing economy. Firing on all cylinders until 2010 ..... and then .... too much corruption and no more gas.

For Tayyip fans, the following are some of his marvelous recent miracles:

1)  Budget deficit risen from $34 billion to $42 billion.

2)  Turkish Lira critically low, lost 45% of its value against $ since 2016.

3)  Inflation risen to 14% despite lending rate of Turkish central bank @ 12.75%.

4)  Foreign investment 2018 fallen to half of 2016 because of failed coup crackdown & declaration of emergency.

5)  Overall unemployment a whopping 12%.

6)  Youth unemployment 21%.

7)  Foreign currency debts of small businesses over $200 billion.

8)  Turkey burdened with 3.5 million Syrian refugees after Erdogan's role in Syrian war.

9)  Freedom of expression, ZERO.

10) Scholars, doctors, journalists, teachers, lawyers, politicians, just about every disagreeing voice in prison. Even country's central bank is scared stiff to work independently.

In the last two years the Turkish leader has thrown so many of his countrymen to the wolves, he will make darn sure they don't return leading the pack.   After all, he did not have his 1,100-room Ak Saray erected only to vacate it for his successor after a lost election.