Critics of the president’s economic approach were somewhat heartened by reports that Mr. Erdogan is expected this weekend to appoint Mehmet Simsek, a former finance minister and deputy prime minister, to the cabinet. Mr. Simsek is well thought of in financial circles and has previously supported a tighter monetary policy.
“What Turkey really needs now is more exports and more foreign direct investment, and for that you have to send a signal,” said Henri Barkey, an international relations professor at Lehigh University. One signal could be Mr. Simsek’s appointment, he said.
Mr. Barkey argues that Mr. Erdogan will have no choice but to make a U-turn on policy by winter, when energy import costs rise and some debt payments are due.
Others are more skeptical that Mr. Erdogan will back down from his insistence that high interest rates fuel inflation. Kadri Tastan, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, a public policy think tank based in Brussels, said that regardless of the cabinet’s makeup, he didn’t believe a policy turnaround was imminent.
Related Posts
Serena Williams powers past Maria Sharapova in straight sets to book her place in the semi-final of the Australian Open
Turkish F-16s shoot down Russian fighter jet near Syria border
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party chooses close aide to prime minister as its new chief
John Stones set to face his former club as Everton are drawn away to Barnsley in the second round of the Capital One Cup
Central banks ‘need to be courageous’
Turkey: Erdogan to meet Putin Aug. 9 in Russia
Comments are closed.