Turkish gangster’s claims will shake politics further
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Significance
In a stream of videos posted over four weeks, Peker has accused former and current political figures, some close to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of crimes including rape and murder. Silent for weeks, Erdogan has stood by Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Peker’s main target, along with former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.
Impacts
- The scandal may bring down Soylu, once the fuss has abated.
- The allegations will damage Turkey's reputation abroad as a stable polity.
- Erdogan’s rule-of-law record suggests elections will not be free and fair and could involve street violence.
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