Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been at the forefront of Turkish politics for more than 15 years, but since an electoral alliance between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in 2017, Erdogan seems politically vulnerable. In view of the fact that Turkey’s economy is facing currency and debt crises and with support for the ruling party dwindling, Erdogan’s political fate rests largely in the hands of the MHP. The ultranationalist party is known to have encouraged Erdogan to take a harsh stance on minority rights, especially against Kurds and the West.
