Opinion polls show Erdogan trailing leading opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu a day before one of the most crucial elections in Turkey’s modern history. But if none of them wins more than 50% of the vote, a second round will take place on May 28.
Voters will also choose a new parliament in what is likely to be a close race between the People’s Alliance (Cumhur) made up of Erdogan’s conservative Justice and Development Party, the Nationalist Movement Party and others on the one hand. , and the National Alliance led by Oglu is made up of six opposition parties including the Republican People’s Party (CHP), a secular party he founded, and the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Polling stations will open at eight in the morning (0500 GMT) and close at five in the evening (1400 GMT). By late Sunday evening, indications should emerge as to whether a run-off will take place.
Erdogan’s campaign has focused over the past month on his government’s achievements in defense and infrastructure projects, and his assertion that the opposition will back down from such achievements.
Among the points Erdogan focuses on in his speech is the question that the opposition is taking over from the West and that its representatives will submit to the wishes of Western countries if elected.
“Biden ordered me down”
During a rally in the urban district of Istanbul, Erdogan recalled statements made by US President Joe Biden and published by the New York Times in January 2020 during his campaign for the White House. At the time, Biden said Washington should encourage Erdogan’s opponents to defeat him electorally, stressing that he should not be overthrown in a coup.
Ankara then denounced these statements as “interference” in its affairs. Those statements reappeared later that year in a music video that made Biden’s name the most popular on Twitter in Turkey.
Erdogan, 69, said: “Biden gave the order to overthrow Erdogan, and I know it. And all my people know it… If that’s the case, then the response to Biden will also come via the ballots tomorrow .”
Erdogan also criticized Davutoglu’s statements on Russia, describing Moscow as an important partner for Turkey. “Russia is one of our most important allies when it comes to agricultural products,” he said.
Turkey’s Western allies are alarmed by the closer ties between Ankara and Moscow under Erdogan. Turkey is a member of NATO, which has strongly supported Kyiv since the start of the Russian military operation.
Davutoglu told Reuters on Friday that his party had concrete evidence of Russia’s involvement in spreading misleading content on the internet using a technology called “deep fakeing” ahead of Sunday’s presidential elections, but he did not provide evidence and Reuters could not independently verify this.
However, Erdogan’s main rival added that if he wins the presidency, he will maintain Ankara’s good relations with Moscow.
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