Mr Kilicdaroglu has pledged to set Turkey on a new course by reviving democracy after years of state repression, returning to orthodox economic policies, empowering institutions who lost autonomy under Mr Erdogan’s tight grasp and rebuilding frail ties with the West.
Thousands of political prisoners and activists could be released if the opposition prevails.
Critics fear Mr Erdogan will govern ever more autocratically if he wins.
The 69-year-old president, a veteran of a dozen election victories, says he respects democracy and denies being a dictator.
A third nationalist presidential candidate, Mr Sinan Ogan, stood at 5.3 per cent of the vote. Who he decides to endorse in the next round could be critical.
Parliamentary results
Turks are also voting for a new Parliament.
The People’s Alliance comprising Mr Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AKP and the nationalist MHP and others appeared to have fared better than expected and be headed for a majority.
With 93 percent of votes counted, Mr Erdogan’s alliance looked on course for 324 seats in the 600-seat Parliament.
Mr Kilicdaroglu’s Nation Alliance, formed of six opposition parties including his secularist CHP, looked set for 211 seats.
The Labour and Freedom alliance, led by the pro-Kurdish Green Left party, appeared headed for 65 seats.
Mr Erdogan commands fierce loyalty from pious Turks who once felt disenfranchised in secular Turkey.
His political career has survived an attempted coup in 2016 and corruption scandals.
However, if Turks do oust Mr Erdogan it will be largely because they saw their prosperity and ability to meet basic needs decline, with inflation that topped 85 per cent in October 2022 and a collapse in the lira currency.
Mr Erdogan has taken tight control of most of Turkey’s institutions and sidelined liberals and critics.
Human Rights Watch, in its World Report 2022, said Mr Erdogan’s government has set back Turkey’s human rights record by decades.
Kurdish voters, who account for 15 per cent to 20 per cent of the electorate, will play a vital role, with the Nation Alliance unlikely to attain a parliamentary majority by itself. REUTERS
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vd29ybGQvZXVyb3BlL2VyZG9nYW4tYWhlYWQtaW4tdHVya2V5LWluaXRpYWwtdm90ZS1yZXN1bHRzLWJ1dC1nYXAtdG8tbmFycm930gEA?oc=5
2023-05-15 01:06:03Z
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