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From Our Own Correspondent

Erdogan, the Earthquakes and the Election

From Our Own Correspondent

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.41.3K Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This weekend's election in Turkey may be the most consequential vote President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has faced yet. Amid the ruined city of Antakya, Orla Guerin heard strong opinions from his supporters and detractors, as they contemplate their and their country's future. Since the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan, the space for women in any kind of public life has been steadily shrinking. Yogita Limaye has often met with their spokesmen and challenged their stance on women's education and employment. While the conversations were cordial, there were few signs of any relaxation of the rules. It's a long way from the foothills of Mount Everest to the southwestern state of Karnataka in India; but in this new landscape, some of Tibet's ancient arts and beliefs are still celebrated at a Buddhist monastery in exile. Earlier this year, Simon Broughton joined the monks of the Tashi Lhunpo monastery for the Tibetan Gutor festival, which features blaring horns, crashing cymbals, and dancers dressed as skeletal tormentors. And as Liverpool gets ready for the culmination of the Eurovision Song Contest, Daniel Rosney retraces the six months he's spent criss-crossing Europe in the run-up to the event, and reflects on the special relationship that's been formed between the United Kingdom and last year's winner, Ukraine. Producer: Polly Hope Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Co-Ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross

Transcript

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0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts

0:05.2

Today talking to the Taliban about women's rights in Afghanistan and not getting many answers.

0:12.2

The blaring horns, whirling dancers and clanging symbols that welcome in Tibetan New Year

0:18.4

at a monastery in exile in southern India.

0:22.0

And it's no ordinary pop song.

0:24.8

Why the lyric of one of tonight's Eurovision song contenders is about the brutal battle

0:29.9

to take over a steelworks.

0:33.4

But first, to Turkey.

0:35.6

Tomorrow more than 60 million Turks will vote in presidential and parliamentary elections

0:40.8

that could be the most consequential in their recent history.

0:44.7

The country's increasingly authoritarian leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who's been in

0:50.2

par for 20 years, is under threat as never before.

0:54.8

His main rival, the secular opposition leader, Kamal Kilich Darulu, has a narrow lead

1:00.9

in opinion polls, but the contest widely expected to go to a second round.

1:07.0

The economy is shattered and President Erdogan has been widely criticised for the state's

1:12.4

slow response to devastating earthquakes in February, and for the unsafe building signed

1:18.5

off during his time in office, grim consequences of which came to light when some 50,000 people

1:25.0

were killed.

1:26.4

All Agerans been in the ancient city of Antakia in Hatai province, one of the worst affected

1:33.0

areas.

1:34.8

It's a bleak resting place, a rough patch of ground by the side of a noisy road.

1:41.2

The graves stretch into the distance in long rows, most marked only by simple wooden

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