Erdogan-linked media tip him to victory in Turkey, while opposition leader says he is “in the lead”

The main candidate of the Turkish opposition, Kemal Kilicdarogluassures that he is in the lead in the total of the Turkish presidential elections held this Sunday, for which official data have not yet been published. “in the head”it says in a short message published on his official Twitter.

However, so far only unofficial information has been published through the state news agency Anadolu, which places the current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with a clear advantage (56.67%) ahead of Kilicdaroglu (37.41%). Participation, always according to this source, reached 85.14 percent.

Kilicdaroglu is competing as a candidate of six opposition parties, who warned that the results published by Anatolia should not be trusted. Kiliçdaroglu Republican People’s Party (CHP) spokesman Faik Öztrak criticized Anatolia this Sunday for its “manipulation”. “The agency is doing its traditional manipulation for the last time. Participation seems to have reached a record level,” Öztrak said in a statement to the Bianet portal. He also emphasized that “the data we receive is very positive.” “We will start announcing the results when the number of open ballot boxes is significant,” he assured. is.

Also former co-president of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtas, who is serving a prison sentence, warned that Anatolia’s results should not be trusted. «Do not trust the information of the Anatolia agency. Let’s remember the 2019 election. Those of you who remember, explain to those who don’t,” he said on Twitter. Demirtas was referring to the lack of information about the results of the 2019 local elections that saw the news agency singled out for trying to favor the ruling party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP ).

HPD’s representative before the Supreme Electoral Council, Mehmet Rüstü Tiryaki, also accused Anatolia. Do not trust their information. We want people to trust the opposition parties,” he said.

Stay at the polling stations

After the polls closed, Kilicdaroglu himself called on his auditors not to leave the polling stations where the population voted in the presidential and legislative elections this Sunday “until the last signed act is delivered”. “I want to appeal to our heroes of democracy: Under no circumstances leave the polling stations until the last signed ballot box certificate has been delivered“, the opposition leader announced on Twitter. “The full and correct manifestation of the will of the nation depends on your determination. You will see, it will be worth your fatigue,” he added.

This Sunday at 17:00 (16:00 Spanish Peninsular Time) the polls closed for elections, the first in the 20 years that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power where the opposition appears to have a real chance of ousting him.

If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, a second round will be held on May 28 between the two candidates with the highest number of votes decide on the president of the country. If he wins, the opposition has promised to reverse the change from a presidential political system in place since 2014 to a parliamentary system.