Days after vowing to teach the U.S. a "lesson," the Turkish President said his triumph in the country's upcoming elections would send a message to the West.
What Happened: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an interview with CNN-Turk television late Wednesday, said he was witnessing strong support from his grassroots and expected massive victory in the next elections, reported Bloomberg.
"I believe that my nation will finish this job without making it difficult," Erdogan said, signaling at the May 14 election, where a presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the votes in order to prevent a runoff two weeks later.
"With these elections, Turkey will give a message to the West. This nation is no longer thinking about the reaction of the West while it is fighting terrorism or determining its economic policies," Erdogan said, aiming at the U.S., which he claims is against him and in favor of his opponents.
"The West is saying that it is against Erdogan. Their hostile stance toward Erdogan is a hostile stance toward my nation — my nation will foil this plot on May 14."
Why It Matters: The Turkish leader is confronted with the greatest challenge in his 20-year reign after the erosion of his popularity during a cost-of-living crisis. The Middle-Eastern nation is grappling with soaring inflation and is reeling from twin earthquakes that have left 50,000 people dead.
Meanwhile, Erdogan and his ruling AK Party have argued that they will bring inflation down to single figures, a commitment their opponents have also made.
Read Next: Turkey's Erdogan Warns Greece Its Missiles Can Hit Athens — ‘If You Don't Stay Calm…'
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