Turkey is gearing to script history as it goes to polls on Sunday. The pivotal presidential and parliamentary elections will decide the future of the NATO member. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing the toughest political test as it might end his two decades of power.
The opinion polls give Erdogan's challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who heads an alliance of six opposition parties, an edge. However if either of the parties fail to get more than 50 percent of the vote there will be a runoff election on May 28.
The polls began at 8 am and will close at 5 pm. An indication of runoff vote for presidency will be known by late Sunday.
The key election focus would be on issues including economy, earthquakes, and refugees.
After the recent earthquakes in Turkey that claimed over 50,000 lives, people of the affected provinces have expressed their anger and dissatisfaction with the government's ignorance and slow response initially. Though it is not unknown, whether it would have a significant impact on the votes, experts claim that people's dissatisfaction would be a challenge to Erdogan.
The parliamentary elections too is a tight race between People's Alliance comprising Erdogan's conservative Islamist-rooted AK Party (AKP) and nationalist MHP and others. Kilicdaroglu's Nation Alliance is formed of six opposition parties, including his secularist Republican People's Party, established by Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
With the Nation Alliance unlikely to attain a parliamentary majority by itself, the Kurdish voters, accounting for 15-20 percent of the electorate, plays a significant role.
After a crackdown on its members by Erdogan led government, the Peoples' Democratic Party has declared its support to Kilicdaroglu in the presidential race.
Erdogan during his time has survived an attempted coup in 2016 and numerous corruption scandals. However over the years, his government failed to meet the basics with inflation topping 85 percent in October last year and a collapse in the lira currency. Erdogan has taken control of most Turkey's institutions and sidelined the liberals as well.
Meanwhile Kilicdaroglue, 74, a former civil servant, promised that if he wins he will return to orthodox economic policies. He also said that he would bring back the country to the parliamentary system from Ergodan's executive presidential system, that was passed in a referendum in 2017.
He also assured to restore the independence of the judiciary will be restored.
Though Kilicdaroglu and his party has lost all past elections since he took charge in 2010, opinion polls showed that he has a slight lead over Erdogan.
In another event, Muharrem Ince, one of the four candidates in Turkey's presidential elections had withdrawn his name from the race. Reportedly, Ince was under immense pressure for splitting the opposition vote. However, his vote would be counted valid.
