Türkiye Elections: Erdogan’s ‘Fight of His Life’ Against Kilicdaroglu Kicks Off Sunday. All You Need to Know

Türkiye’s strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week termed the May 14 elections as the ‘fight of his life’ signalling that the opposition unity under rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu poses a significant challenge to his electoral ambitions.

Erdogan has ruled Türkiye for at least a decade as its President and has been its prime minister from 2002 to 2014. He is a veteran politician and also served as mayor Istanbul from 1994 to 1998.

He was also jailed in 1998 and when he emerged from prison, he formed the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in 2001.

Erdogan’s policy has been to build growth through construction projects, strengthening infrastructure and taking similar measures but the twin earthquakes that struck this February hurt that reputation.

Erdogan was also heralded as a reformer because of loosening the military’s grip on the country, Al Jazeera said in a report. It also said that his stance on rights of women and minorities and Türkiye joining the European Union under his leadership also heralded his image as a liberal.

But since the failed coup of 2016, when US-based Fethullah Gulen allegedly orchestrated his downfall only to fail, the 69-year-old leader started to crack down on dissent and concentrate all power into his own hands.

He also clamped down on opposition but the Turkish public, as pictures from international news media agencies and social media outlets suggest, still continue to support him – at least a million people attended his rally in Istanbul.

However, as mentioned above his response to the February 6 earthquakes and worsening cost-of-living crisis has hurt his image and strengthened the chances of Kemal Kilicdaroglu aka Türkiye’s ‘Mahatma Gandhi’.

Kilicdaroglu is a soft-spoken leader but he has been able to unite the opposition parties under one banner. He is the face of the opposition and Erdogan’s competition for Sunday’s polls.

His centre-left Cumhuriyet Halk Party (CHP) is now seen as a challenge to Erdogan’s authoritarian rule.

Here are some of the key things to know as Türkiye heads to polls this Sunday:

When Does Polling Begin?

The Turkish elections will be held on May 14, with more than 64 million eligible voters, including over 6 million first-time voters and 3.4 million voters overseas who have already cast their ballots.

Polling stations, numbering 190,736, will open at 8.00 am (local time) and close at 5.00 pm (local time), according to Reuters.

Turnout is typically high in Türkiye, with nearly 87% of eligible voters casting ballots in the 2018 elections.

When Are the Results?

According to the election law, the High Election Board (YSK) has imposed a ban on news, forecasts, and commentaries related to the election until 6 pm (local time) on election day.

After 6 pm (local time) , certain aspects of the election may be reported, but media outlets can only report on election results from 9 pm (local time) onwards, which will be announced from various regions of Türkiye, according to Reuters.

However, if the YSK deems it necessary, it may lift the embargo on reporting before 9 pm (local time).

The presidential election result may become apparent by late Sunday.

Who Are The Main Contenders?

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, aims to become the longest-serving leader in modern Türkiye by winning another term. He secured his victory in the 2018 election’s first round, with 52.6% of the vote. However, recent polls indicate that his current support level is around 44-45%, according to Reuters.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the joint presidential candidate of the six-party main opposition alliance, is approaching the crucial 50% support threshold according to current polls. The CHP was founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Türkiye.

Another contender, Sinan Ogan, is significantly behind in the polls. He previously served as a parliamentarian for the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which is an ally of Erdogan’s AK Party.

Which Are the Main Parties and Alliances?

The People’s Alliance – The AKP and the MHP formed the People’s Alliance before the 2018 election, which won both the presidential and parliamentary votes. Since then, the Great Unity Party and the New Welfare Party, led by Fatih Erbakan, son of Erdogan’s mentor Necmettin Erbakan, have also joined the right-wing coalition.

The Nation Alliance – The Nation Alliance, comprising the CHP, IYI Party, Felicity Party and Democrat Party, supports Kemal Kilicdaroglu for president. In the 2019 municipal elections, it surprised Erdogan by defeating AKP mayoral candidates in Ankara and Istanbul, which the AKP had controlled for almost 20 years, according to Reuters. Later, two parties founded by former Erdogan allies joined the alliance: the Deva Party led by Ali Babacan and the Future Party led by Ahmet Davutoglu.

The Labour and Freedom Alliance – Led by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), the Democracy Alliance could play a kingmaker’s role in the election. The HDP is the third largest party in parliament and helped defeat the AKP in major cities in the 2019 local elections by cooperating with the opposition, according to Reuters. It has pledged to oppose Erdogan’s one-man rule. The Workers Party of Türkiye (TIP), a vocal opposition figure after the February 6 earthquakes and the Green Left Party (YSP) are also part of the alliance.

(with inputs from BBC, Anadolu Agency and VOA)