The requirements in short:
Second round election between Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu – polling stations open
Erdogan, 69, is the favorite in the vote. Although he received the most votes in the first round of the election two weeks ago, he missed the necessary absolute majority. Kilicdaroglu finished about 4.5 percentage points behind Erdogan.
About 61 million people are invited to vote. Turkish citizens in Germany have already voted. The elections are generally considered free, but not fair. Sunday is also the anniversary of the government-critical Gezi protests of 2013. (sda/dpa)
Türkiye decides on president in second round
The result of the first vote surprised many: polls had predicted a second round, but 74-year-old Kilicdaroglu was the favourite. There are some 2.5 million votes between Erdogan and his opponent, whom the opposition now wants to overtake. In Turkey, about 61 million people are called to vote.
The choice is indicative. Erdogan has been in power for 20 years. Since the introduction of a presidential system in 2018, he has more power than ever before. Critics fear the country, with a population of about 85 million, could slide completely into autocracy if he wins again. Kilicdaroglu represents an alliance of six parties from different camps and vows to democratize the country. Internationally, the mood in the NATO country is closely monitored.
The first round of voting was considered fundamentally free, but unfair. International election observers criticized the government’s media dominance and lack of transparency in voting. The electoral authority YSK is also considered to be politicized.
The vote comes on a date symbolic of the opposition: Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the Gezi protests critical of the government. The demonstrations in the spring of 2013 initially targeted the development of Istanbul’s central Gezi Park. They expanded into nationwide demonstrations against the increasingly authoritarian policies of Erdogan, who was still prime minister at the time. This brutally crushed the mostly peaceful protests.
The dominant topic for the second round was migration. Both Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu received the support of right-wing politicians. Kilicdaroglu, in particular, made the repatriation of refugees to Syria his main campaign theme and clearly sharpened his tone from the first round.
Turkey alone is home to some 3.4 million refugees from Syria. For Europe, it plays a major role in migration policy. Another topic in the election campaign was the bad economic situation with huge inflation. Erdogan repeatedly insulted the opposition as “terrorists”.
In parliament, Erdogan’s government alliance managed to win an absolute majority in elections two weeks ago. Should Kilicdaroglu win on Sunday, he would not be able to single-handedly push through the constitutional changes needed to abolish the presidential system.
Polling stations in Turkey open at 07:00 (CEST) and close at 16:00 (CEST). The first partial results, which initially have little meaning, are expected in the evening. (con/sda/dpa)
What Sunday Turkey is all about
In Turkey, a new parliament and a new president are elected every five years. This year, the Turks made the pilgrimage to the polls on May 14. However, two weeks ago on Sunday, none of the three official candidates passed for a majority of more than 50 percent. That is why there will be a second round this Sunday for the first time in the history of the country.
Incumbent President Recep Erdogan and his challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu remain from the first vote. Sinan Ogan, who surprisingly received more than 5 percent of the vote in the first election campaign, has now asked his voters to vote for Erdogan. So there is a good chance that Erdogan will be allowed to rule for another five years after 20 years in power. Only one of the six studies sees Kilicdaroglu ahead. (lion)
The results of the elections in Turkey
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
