Turkey is on the brink of a disaster under Erdogan – the Economist

Turkey is on the brink of a disaster under its increasingly “erratic” president, the Economist said on Wednesday.

Featuring a Turkey file on its weekly edition’s cover, the UK’s leading magazine said “A flawed democracy could tip into full-blown dictatorship”, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The report immediately slammed by Erdogan’s adviser Fahrettin Altun as of being a “cheap propaganda”.

The Economist titled the file as “Turkey’s looming dictatorship; A special report on Erdogan’s empire,” and projected Erdogan's silhouette onto the crescent on the Turkish flag on its cover photo.

A flawed democracy could tip into full-­blown autocracy. Turkey is on the brink of disaster under its increasingly erratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan https://t.co/gfekLyEQH5 pic.twitter.com/vJpDB1pgUQ

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) January 19, 2023

Turkey who has the NATO’s second-biggest armed forces, plays a crucial role in a turbulent neighbourhood, especially in war-torned Syria, the magazine said.

According to the Economist, it exerts growing influence in the Western Balkans, in the Eastern Mediterranean and more recently in Africa.

Above all, it is important in the Black Sea and in Russia’s war in Ukraine, it said.

Taking all into account, the “outsiders” should pay attention to Turkey’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, the Economist said.

“All the more so since, under its increasingly erratic president, the country is on the brink of disaster. Mr Erdogan’s behaviour as the election approaches could push what is today a deeply flawed democracy over the edge into a full-blown dictatorship,” it said.

Immediately after its publication, the Economist’s Turkey report slammed by Erdogan’s adviser Fahrettin Altun.

“Here we go again! The Economist recycles its intellectually lazy, dull, and purposefully ignorant depiction of Türkiye. It seems like they feel obligated to announce the end of Turkish democracy through regurgitating cliches, misinformation and blatant propaganda,” Altun said.

According to Altun, this is largely due to the “inexplicable and ongoing hatred” against Erdogan.

“Outrageous headlines and provocative imagery might help them sell their so-called journal, so we congratulate them on their ingenious marketing techniques! But we must remind audiences that this is sensationalist journalism based on cheap propaganda and disinformation,” he said.

Here we go again! The Economist recycles its intellectually lazy, dull, and purposefully ignorant depiction of Türkiye. It seems like they feel obligated to announce the end of Turkish democracy through regurgitating cliches, misinformation and blatant propaganda.

— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) January 19, 2023