Turkish opposition triumph will prove temporary

Significance

He was greeted by a cheering crowd of many tens of thousands. Some Turks see this as a possible turning point in the struggle against the perceived authoritarianism of Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule. Whether that is true or not, it has helped restore the personal image of a leader who has not won an election in seven years.

Impacts

• The government will continue to strike at perceived opponents with arrests -- especially of intellectuals, civil servants and the military.
• Kilicdaroglu and his party will face growing accusations of involvement in terrorism and further prosecutions of parliamentarians.
• The heightened climate of nationalism means the debacle in the Cyprus negotiations may be followed by new confrontations with Greece.