Challenges awaiting İhsanoğlu’s presidential campaign

When you read the comments of those who have come to know Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the opposition’s joint candidate, you realize that few would doubt he harbors the necessary criteria to be president.

First of all, he has already proven to be a statesman. He might not be experienced as far as local politics are concerned, but he has, no doubt, vast knowledge of international politics.  Few would question his international standing, as those familiar with his career say he draws respect from leaders from both the East and West. As far as foreign policy and international relations are concerned, therefore, he would not take long to learn. Plus, he already is familiar with the state bureaucracy in Ankara.

While Turkey’s presidents need to be above politics, that does not mean remaining indifferent or powerless as far as local politics is concerned, but to be equidistant from all political parties.

While he might not be familiar with the everyday-itsy-bitsy details of local politics, his experience as head of the Islamic Cooperation Organization (ICO) might help him in his dealings with local issues.

Heading any multilateral organization requires skill for reconciliation and consensus building; when we consider that a large majority of ICO members are made up of Arabs, who for decades have only agreed to disagree, İhsanoğlu probably excels in his skills as a consensus builder; this is what we really need in Çankaya, especially at times when political parties are at each other’s throats.

As head of the ICO, he made sure to be in good terms and dialogue with all key players. It was during his tenure that the U.S.’ relations with the ICO expanded, as Washington tasked its representation in Jeddah...