In the months ahead of the election, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced criticism for his government’s response to devastating earthquakes and for crushing inflation.
Yet, he still managed to come out ahead in this week’s runoff election, extending his two-decade tenure leading Turkey by another five years.
His victory was a case study in how to use populism, intimidation and division to harness a democracy and stay in power.
NPR’s Fatma Tanis breaks down his victory and what it means for democracy in Turkey and more broadly.
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