Tomorrow...

There are three days left until the local elections.

On the morning of April 1st, nothing in Turkey will ever be the same again.

Although the people of my country may not fully realize it, this date marks a significant turning point for the nation.

We are at a critical juncture in almost every respect.

Let us try to explain, as best we can, what awaits us from here on out.

Let us not delve into the “contingency planning” that diplomats are so fond of, but rather lay out the likely scenario in all its stark reality.

If the election, satisfies Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's expectations threshold—meaning if the AKP wins back the municipalities won by the CHP in 2019, especially Istanbul—then it's all over.

He will have four full years ahead of him until 2028 to use as he pleases!

If his health permits, no one should doubt that he will attempt to carry out whatever he has carefully hidden in the dark corners of his mind during this time.

He will start this by first establishing a more hardline Islamic regime in Turkey!

If a result emerges on March 31 that forces an early election, that would be ideal.

Then, perhaps, he might feel the need to hit the brakes a little.

However, regardless of how the political landscape manifests, it seems inevitable that Turkey will face a very severe economic crisis.

The people of this country will, one way or another, be forced to pay the price for this crisis.

A major currency shock is expected following the elections.

If there is an uncontrollable surge in the exchange rate, inflation will spiral out of control.

The measures Mehmet Şimşek will take to curb domestic demand will hit fixed-income earners, especially retirees, the hardest.

There is no secret about it; he is already saying this himself.

“I would go hungry, I would die, but I won't let them take down the Chief” It seems as if the prayers of the die-hard AKP supporters who cry out with these words are about to be answered.

There are people in this country who, due to a lack of money, have reduced their meals to once a day and vote for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan solely because he bows his head in prayer.

Pensioners will either forget about a raise or be forced to settle for a raise as small as a bird's portion. 

Perhaps pension payments might even be paid in installments.

In other words, we will be longing for today.

We will encounter people searching through trash in markets and bazaars for a few rotten tomatoes and one or two cucumbers more frequently.

It seems everyone is aware of this, yet polls do not show a significant decline in AKP votes.

One way or another, they always have 35-40 percent in their pocket!

Let us say this is no longer a matter of political psychology, but rather a subject for social psychiatry, and continue.

There is a terrible sense of being cornered in foreign policy.

After all the insults and verbal attacks, going all the way to visit Sisi, shaking the hand of Mitsotakis—whom he had insulted in every way possible—while calling him "my friend," and failing to halt trade with Israel, despite having practically cursed its prime minister, has left very little in foreign policy that can be sold to the domestic audience.

The rhetoric of "homeland, nation, and Sakarya" no longer finds many buyers.

All that is left in his hands is space tourist Alper Gezeravcı !

That, too, did not create much excitement among our fellow citizens whose stomachs are growling from hunger.

However, difficult days in foreign policy await him after the election.

Leaning first on Washington, then on Moscow, he has completely exhausted his credit in the diplomacy he has been conducting.

Since he knows he cannot maintain his power without support from the U.S., there will be no limit to the concessions he will make from now on.

What can he do? He could press the button for a Kurdish opening in the form the U.S. desires; for example, he could have Abdullah Öcalan removed from İmralı and his sentence converted to house arrest, where he would be freer.

Or, By making a "golden shot," they could even release Abdullah Öcalan.

Furthermore, in parallel with this, they could provide legitimacy to the terrorist structure in northern Syria!

As long as the support of the US remains constant.

While doing these things, one must also take into account the bill that Russia will place before Turkey.

The mere fact that it holds the natural gas valve is a major problem for Turkey.

The list is long. But, while sailing in the wake of the US, one should not be surprised if a serious salvo comes from Putin.

The bill for all the swings in foreign policy will, one way or another, fall on the people of my country.

It is likely that the political scene will be in turmoil immediately after the election!

A potential defeat in the election seems likely to cause the opposition, especially the CHP, to be unable to recover for many years.

The situation of the İYİ Party is already pathetic.

After the election, they will either lock the doors of the party or continue by aligning with the MHP and the Palace alliance.

This means, to use Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's expression, that he will be able to roam freely without any opposition.

In other words, there will be no significant political obstacle in his way until 2028. 

Whether the long-suffering people of my country will take to the streets is somewhat doubtful!

Potential crisis topics are not limited to these.

For instance, the problems experienced regarding refugees are likely to increase exponentially.

The AKP emerging from the election strengthened will pave the way for refugees to act recklessly.

Then...

Let us continue.

No one will be able to say "stop" to the plundering of the country's stones, soil, seas, and streams.

With foreigners driving the housing market up in an uncontrollable manner, even a tiny, cramped apartment will be beyond the dreams of my fellow citizens...

Even today, an average home in major cities is far out of reach for people with an average income.

The main critical threshold is Istanbul...

Especially if they take Istanbul, the arrogance of the sects and religious communities that will feed off the city's rent will spiral out of control.

The very marrow of the country will be shaken, if we even have a country left in this form four years from now...

Therefore, as we head to the polls on March 31, instead of casting our votes based on who will pave the roads in our neighborhood, who will collect the trash, who will provide more convenience for retirees, or who will increase the number of parks and gardens, it would be far better to cast our votes while considering the calamities that will befall us if the AKP achieves what it wants; with that, let us conclude our article.