Istanbul's current mayor Ekren Momolu has defeated Erdogan-backed candidates for the mayor's ship back in 2018. He did indeed sort of launch a very inclusive campaign that kind of tried to bridge conservative Democrats with more pro-secular Democrats and Democrats from different minority religious or ethnic groups. So he really had this sort of broad tent and he was charismatic and was able to project that inclusive messaging in a successful way. That is why in December, he was confronted with some charges but a few days in jail and allegations of criminal activity that are not very convincing.
Nora Fisher Onar is an associate professor of international studies at the University of San Francisco and author of the forthcoming book Contesting Pluralism(s): Islam, Liberalism and Nationalism in Turkey.
In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Nora Fisher Onar discuss how President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan prevailed despite economic turmoil and a bungled response to the severe February earthquake; what international observers may overlook or misunderstand about Erdoğan’s appeal to Turkish voters; and what Erdoğan’s victory means for the country’s strained democracy, institutions, and economy.
This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
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