Caroline Baudry, edited by Loane Nader / Photo credit: Marie Tihon / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
Turkey has witnessed a tight political face-off since Sunday, May 14. Outgoing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan failed to pass the 50% mark needed to secure him a victory against Kemal Kiliçdaroglu. Europe 1 went to a district of Istanbul, where supporters of the head of state remain confident.
In Turkey, nothing is certain for outgoing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Having won just over 49% of the vote, the latter finds himself in a delicate position facing his main opponent Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, at the head of a united coalition against the current head of state. In the district of Kasımpaşa in Istanbul, where Recep Erdoğan grew up, his supporters remain confident, just like the one they nickname “the reïs”.
“We will support Tayyip until we die!”
In the neighborhood mosque, which adjoins the street where he played football as a child, prayers are mainly directed to the conservative president. “We will support Tayyip until we die!” exclaims Zifel, a slow-moving old man, his eyes glued to his phone and the Turkish news channels. “We will contest the victory of Kiliçdaroglu. If the reïs gives the order to go out into the street, we will go out”, he then assures. “Because if the opponent comes to power, there will be a civil war. He will close mosques and Koranic schools.”
This Sunday, the streets are almost empty, as if weighed down by suspense. In an alley, Erden, another supporter of the outgoing president, gathered his friends around a tea for the occasion. “I’m going to watch the results all night. I hope President Erdogan wins, we all support him!” Says the latter with conviction, before chanting the name of his candidate with his friends. A man sticks his head out the window to join in these songs, failing to be able to celebrate the victory of his president.