Turkey’s Erdogan faces tough election amid quake, inflation

By SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s May 14 presidential election could be the toughest challenge yet in the two-decade rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It comes amid a devastating earthquake and soaring inflation — problems that Turkey faced as Erdogan was in the early stages of his political career more than two decades ago. Back then, his party capitalized on public outrage at the government response to the 1999 Izmit earthquake that killed about 18,000 people This year, the government faces anger over soaring inflation and an earthquake in southern Turkey that killed over 50,000. Erdogan concedes shortcomings in handling the February earthquake but insists it was quickly brought under control and only he can rebuild the stricken region.