"The Times" analysis: If he wins the elections, Erdogan will face crises of his own making

Amid the battle to win, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced the wrath of his political opponent. But it seems that the supporters of the Turkish opposition missed the best chance to overthrow President Erdogan after 20 years in power, although the latter is heading for victory.

"The Times" writes; After 20 years in power, Erdogan enters the presidential runoff as the favorite. Two weeks ago, in the first round, he appeared to be struggling to defeat Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition opponent.

If he triumphs, he will remain at the helm of a country facing multiple deep crises largely of his own making.

Erdogan's dream is to be the leader of a Muslim nation that is considered among the great powers of the world.

But Turkey today is more fragile; economically fractured, with inflation and a falling currency, damaged by February's earthquakes and torn apart by anger at its four million refugees.

The judiciary is in shambles and desperate after Erdogan's purges, illiberalism is on the rise and the country has no chance of becoming a member of the EU.

Erdogan's foreign policy wins, such as negotiating a deal with Russia and Ukraine, expanding Turkish business in Africa and selling Bayraktar drones around the world, play well with his base but do not provide stability, prosperity and growth in place.

Relations with the EU, boosted after the earthquake response, are somewhat strained.

If elected, Erdogan will likely continue to block Sweden's bid to join NATO, using his veto to block its accession.

Erdogan has demanded that Stockholm hand over 120 Turkish nationals he classifies as "terrorists" while refusing to extradite a Swedish-Turkish drug kingpin living in Anatolia, where police say he continues to control drug sales and order murder at home.

In Syria, Turkey has established control over parts of the north by launching a series of invasions. But Turkey's sworn enemies, the Syrian Kurds, still hold a large swath along Turkey's southern border, putting its national security at risk.

Ekonomia është në rënie alarmante.  Familjet e klasës së mesme u është dashur të shkurtojnë shpenzimet; disa nga të varfrit janë në gjendje të mjerueshme. Erdogan, megjithatë, është zotuar të vazhdojë të ulë normat e interesit pas viteve në të cilat kjo ka nxitur inflacion dyshifror.

Ndërkohë krahasuar me disa nga opozita, qëndrimi i Erdoganit ndaj refugjatëve duket jashtëzakonisht liberal.

Ndërsa ai ka bërë aleancë me ultra-nacionalistët dhe ka dëbuar ilegalisht mijëra sirianë, ai, të paktën tani për tani, po e forcon politikën e tij në drejtim të ndjekjes së standardeve globale të mbrojtjes.

Ndarja e vjetër midis turqve laikë dhe fetarë po bëhet më pak e rëndësishme pasi njerëzit nga i gjithë spektri politik kalojnë në forma gjithnjë e më të ashpra të nacionalizmit.

With these issues, Turkey's future looks extremely bleak, whoever wins today.