youth fractured between Erdoğan and Kiliçdaroglu

In the huge meeting that is being prepared, Kemal and his friends distribute the Turkish flags and that of the AKP, the president’s party. 18 years old, they were born at the beginning of the Erdogan era. “I am very excited to vote for the first time”, said one of them. This generation has only known this strong man, and admires him. “It touches me personally, to see the one who worked so hard for the future of our country“, says a young man. The group is educated in a religious high school, one of those that Erdogan created in Turkey to train a pious generation.

A youth yearning for more freedom

A conquered youth, but this is far from being the case in the largest cities, such as Istanbul (Turkey). In the district of Kasimpasa, the stronghold of Erdogan, doubt has settled for Emir, 20, a hairdresser. His family is pro-Erdogan, but the economic crisis is pushing the young man away from the president. “Tayyip Erdoğan has done a lot of things for the country, but he can’t do it anymore. For me, his policy is no longer effective, and it would be nice to change“, he says. A youth affected by the crisis, and who also aspires to more freedom.