The two main presidential candidates in Turkey, including outgoing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, cast their ballots at midday on Sunday for an election that promises to be tight and draining, since the opening of the polls, long queues across the country.
The Turkish presidential election is underway with two primary candidates, the incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Social Democrat Kemal Kiliçdaroglu. The race promises to be tight and exhausting, with long queues observed at polling stations across the country since their opening.
Erdogan, who has been in power for twenty years, cast his vote at his polling station in Üsküdar, a conservative district on the Asian side of Istanbul. Despite his fatigue, he expressed his wish for a “profitable future for the country and Turkish democracy.” He acknowledged the enthusiasm of voters, particularly in areas affected by the devastating February 6 earthquake.
In contrast, Kiliçdaroglu, the main opposition candidate and leader of the social-democratic and secular CHP party, was the first of the pair to vote in Ankara. Smiling, he claimed, “We missed democracy. Spring will return to this country, God willing, and it will last forever.” His words echo one of his campaign slogans.
The electorate, polarized between Erdogan and Kiliçdaroglu, must give at least 50% of the votes plus one to one of the candidates to ensure a first-round victory. The country, more divided than ever, will have to elect a new assembly and president.
A total of 64 million voters are registered in nearly 200,000 polling stations across this country of 85 million inhabitants. Turkish citizens traditionally show high engagement in elections, with participation rates above 80%.
Kiliçdaroglu is leading a united front of six parties, spanning from the nationalist right to the liberal centre-left. He also has the support of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, the third political force in the country.
In the last presidential election in 2018, Erdogan won the first round with more than 52.5% of the vote. If a second round is required this time, on May 28, it would already be seen as a setback for him.
Erdogan has vowed to respect the election outcome, watched by hundreds of thousands of tellers from both sides. However, he comes to this election with the country grappling with an economic crisis, a devalued currency, and skyrocketing inflation.
Kiliçdaroglu, on the other hand, has promised to restore the rule of law and respect for institutions, which he claims have been abused over the past ten years by Erdogan’s autocratic drift. According to polls, his calm and concise speeches have appealed to a majority of the more than 5 million young Turks voting for the first time.
The outcome of this “Turkish spring” will be closely watched internationally. Turkey, a NATO member, has a unique position between Europe and the Middle East and is a major diplomatic player.
Polling stations are set to close at 5:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT).
Roger Barake, with AFP
