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Turkey: Erdogan signals May elections despite earthquake

The president indicated that a national vote, originally to be held in June, could come in May

Turkey: Erdogan signals May elections despite earthquake
Turkey: Erdogan signals May elections despite earthquake 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday signaled that national elections would take place in May, despite a devastating earthquake that killed more than 45,000 people in Turkey.

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"This nation will do what is necessary on May 14, god willing," Erdogan said in a speech to lawmakers from his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

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The remark was an apparent reference to the parliamentary and presidential vote originally scheduled for June 18 but changed to avoid a clash with holidays.

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Mounting criticism over quake

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Erdogan's government has taken hefty criticism over the high death toll in the quake that struck both Turkey and Syria.

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Although many construction firms and contractors are facing legal consequences over buildings that collapsed despite being relatively new, observers say that the problem ran deeper.

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At home and abroad, critics have pointed out that the AKP has spent years granting amnesty to builders and homeowners for code violations that made structures less safe.

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The government has also been blamed for humanitarian aid being slow to arrive after the February 6 quake.

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What did Erdogan say?

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Erdogan has acknowledged some "shortcomings" immediately after the disaster, but blamed severe winter weather and blocked roads.

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"There were shortcomings, disruptions and delays," however Erdogan asserted Wednesday night that emergency responders "rushed to help earthquake survivors with all our might."

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He added that the government was "not hiding behind excuses."

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Shortly before the earthquake, the AKP had slowly been regaining support in the polls following a major slump brought on by an economic crisis and soaring inflation.

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Serious doubt has been raised about the ability of election officials to set up and secure accessible polling locations in the hardest-hit regions of Turkey in the coming months.

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