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On final day of election campaign, Erdogan accuses Turkish opposition of working with Biden
- ‘Biden gave the order to topple Erdogan, I know this. All my people know this,’ said Erdogan
- Polls show Erdogan trailing main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu a day ahead of one of the most consequential elections in Turkey’s modern history
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held his last election rallies in Istanbul on Saturday, accusing the opposition of working with US President Joe Biden to topple him while making a final appeal ahead of the biggest challenge to his 20-year rule.
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Polls show Erdogan trailing the main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu a day ahead of one of the most consequential elections in Turkey’s modern history. However, if neither of them win more than 50 per cent of the vote and secure an outright win, the vote will go to a run-off on May 28.
Voters will also elect a new parliament, probably a tight race between the People’s Alliance comprising Erdogan’s conservative Islamist-rooted AK Party (AKP) and the nationalist MHP and others, and Kilicdaroglu’s Nation Alliance formed of six opposition parties, including his secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP), established by Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
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Polls will open at 8am local time and close at 5pm. By late on Sunday there could be a good indication of whether there will be a run-off vote for the presidency.
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