Erdogan Tries to Ease the Pain of Turkey’s Bad Economy. It’s Still Hurting.

Source:New York Times Date:06Mar2019

After long unbroken growth, Turkey is entering a recession amid falling investor confidence and a credit crisis. Bankruptcies have increased. Unemployment and inflation have hit double digits. Rising prices, especially at the vegetable markets, have become a national obsession.

The widening economic crisis now presents the president’s Justice and Development Party, or A.K.P., with one of the stiffest challenges yet to its important base of support in small towns and cities as the local elections approach.

Mr. Erdogan, who remains popular, has led his party’s campaign. But while he may be able to whip some members into line, the economy is unlikely to be so easily moved.