Thousands Protest 50-100% Electricity Price Hikes, Calling for Erdogan's Resignation

LOCAL NEWS

• Thousands protest electricity hikes in east & west Turkey on Sunday with major marches in Izmir, Diyarbakir & Mardin with crowds carrying electricity bills and foreign currency in a show of protest.
  • Crowds were heard chanting “Erdogan resign” and “government step down.” Consumers were hit with a 50-100% rise in electricity prices in Jan
• Opposition parties to meet next weekend (12 Feb) to discuss their roadmap to a parliamentary system should they displace the ruling alliance in June 2023.
  • 60% of Turks believe the current presidential system is unsuccessful according to a December survey
• Erdogan and his wife contracts a mild case of Covid-19 on Saturday and say they will continue to work from home
• Over 50 representatives urge Biden to block the sale of F-16s to Turkey to stop Erdogan’s destabilising actions and violations of international law at home and abroad. “congress is right in demanding a change of substance, not merely of style”
• Cyprus calls on EU to sanction Turkish airlines for migrant smuggling to northern Cyprus. Greek Cypriot officials said there are many dangers associated with the influx of migrants which are being smuggled into the southern part of the country

Data:

• 1430GMT: Jan Cash Budget Balance, -92.1bn prior