ANKARA, May 14 (NNN-XINHUA) – Turkish citizens headed to the polls today for twin presidential and parliamentary elections that could shape the Turkish political landscape for the upcoming years.
The polls opened at 8.00 a.m. (0500 GMT) and will close at 5.00 p.m. (1400 GMT) local time. Unofficial results are expected after 9.00 p.m. (1800 GMT) local time.
Some 61 million voters are registered to cast their ballots. Around 3.5 million voters living abroad have been called to cast their votes in advance. More than 1.76 million Turks abroad have cast their votes at diplomatic missions and customs gates between Apr 27 and May 9.
The polls could stretch incumbent President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule into a third decade or could set Türkiye on a new course.
According to pollsters, Erdogan, 69, is facing his toughest test yet, during his 20-year rule. Erdogan, founder and leader of the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), has been leading the country since he became prime minister in 2003.
There are three presidential candidates, however. Erdogan’s chief opponent is Kemal Kilicdaroglu, 74, leader of the centre-left People’s Republican Party (CHP), who might have a chance of winning for the first time, as he is backed by a bloc of opposition parties, according to surveys. The third candidate, Sinan Ogan, is appealing for nationalist votes. A fourth presidential contender, Muharrem Ince, withdrew from the race on Thursday.
If no presidential candidate wins over 50 percent of the vote today, there will be a runoff vote on May 28.– NNN-XINHUA
