Turkey: Why Erdogan Called Snap Elections

On April 18, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for presidential and parliamentary elections to be held on June 24, nearly a year and a half early. The decision follows consultations between Erdogan and Devlet Bahceli, a political ally leader of the Nationalist Movement Party. One day before Erdogan's statement, Bahceli made a call of his own for elections to be held before their previously scheduled date of November 3, 2019. The decision is key for Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) which, despite currently holding the majority of seats in parliament, faces challenges which could sway public opinion against it....