Turkish Opposition Alliance to Announce Election Candidate on Monday

The Turkish opposition alliance, composed of six parties, has announced that it will reveal its joint candidate on Monday to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the presidential elections, just over two months before the scheduled voting date. Erdoğan indicated on Wednesday that the elections will take place on May 14, adhering to his previous plan to hold the vote a little over three months after the devastating earthquake that claimed more than 45,000 lives in Turkey. The six opposition party leaders met yesterday, and there is widespread expectation that they will agree on a joint candidate, likely Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party. They stated in a communiqué, "We have reached a mutual understanding regarding our joint presidential candidate for the 13th presidential elections and a roadmap for the transition process." The statement added that the leaders will inform their party's executive councils before meeting again on Monday "to share the final statement with the public." Reports suggest that party leaders have largely expressed support for Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy, although there remains opposition within the "Good" nationalist party led by Meral Akşener, the second-largest party in the alliance. Polls indicate that the opposition alliance is in a strong position to challenge Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the elections. Erdoğan’s government has faced criticism over its management of the earthquake response, which has exacerbated what was already expected to be his biggest electoral challenge during his two-decade rule amid soaring inflation that heavily impacts living standards. However, reports of disagreements within the opposition alliance have raised doubts about its ability to capitalize on Erdoğan's declining popularity as shown in the polls.