Erdogan Gets Over Lockdown Chaos Without Losing Cabinet Member
- Government order sent Turks lining up at stores in virus risk
- Erdogan’s opponents criticize government for abrupt decision
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected the resignation of his popular interior minister after the botched handling of a coronavirus lockdown, a maneuver that allowed him to both deflect blame for the foul-up while keeping a staunch defender in his cabinet.
The calling of a snap lockdown over the weekend touched off a rush of panic-buying that all but defeated the purpose of trying to stem a surge in virus cases and deaths. The outbreak is testing the resilience of Erdogan’s government in its 18th year in power, and the uproar over the bungled lockdown came swiftly.