The Director of Communications for the Turkish Presidency, Fahrettin Altun, has responded to recent Western media articles about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Altun expressed his disapproval of what he called "pathological hostility" towards Turkey and its leader in the Western media, especially before the May 14 elections.

In a statement posted on social media, Altun criticized the articles as targeting the will of the Turkish people and stated that he and others were astonished by these publications.

Noting that as Türkiye frees itself from its chains, the violence of attacks emanating from the West increases, Director of Communications Altun said:

“They turn to perception operations by discarding the principle of impartiality as our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan prioritizes the interests of our nation and rejects what is imposed. We would like to remind everyone. Our nation, which supports and stands by Türkiye, is well aware of its position. They are familiar with those who participate in dirty propaganda and asymmetrical psychological operations. And on May 14th, under the guidance of our principles and values, our nation is preparing to smear the headlines and disrupt the games that are aimed at its will. We sincerely believe that our beloved nation, which recognizes the actors, does not overlook the screenwriters, and is aware of the games, will continue to stand by our state and our President, both today and tomorrow, as they have in the past. If there are people who dream to halt Türkiye's rise, we advise them to give up this dream. The enemies of Türkiye have never been and will never be pleased by this beloved nation.”

The Economist, a London-based weekly known for its opposition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has sparked outrage among his supporters with its latest cover. The cover, titled "The Most Important Election of 2023," features the tags "Save Democracy" and "Erdoğan Must Go."

While social media users expressed anger at the cover, presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın responded with a tweet in which he laughed off the magazine's stance.

The upcoming Turkish elections are scheduled for May 14th. The presidential race includes incumbent President Erdogan, who is running for re-election, as well as opposition candidates Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Muharrem Ince, and Sinan Ogan. Additionally, 24 political parties and 151 independent candidates are competing for seats in the 600-member Turkish parliament. (ILKHA)