Nation Alliance

The unofficial results of the parliamentary election on May 14 showed that the People's Alliance - formed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the New Welfare Party (YRP) and the Great Union Party (BBP) - garnered the most lawmakers in the parliament

• More than 64 million Turkish citizens are eligible to vote in the polls. They will choose between three presidential candidates and 36 parties in 87 electoral districts.
• Voters will decide the fate of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP as they face a united democratic opposition.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the presidential candidate of the six-party Nation Alliance visited Anıtkabir on May 13, a day before the critical elections. 

Anıtkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of the country's War of Independence and founder of modern Türkiye.

Presidential and parliamentary elections have begun at 8 am local time.

"As of now, all measures for healthy and secure elections have been taken by the Supreme Election Board [YSK] and its election committees in the provinces and districts," YSK head Ahmet Yener told the journalists on May 12.

Some 60 million Turks will cast their votes on May 14 to elect their 13th president and the 600-seat parliament in an election that many describe as the most critical one not only for Türkiye but also for the wider region.

Supporters of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan take a part in a choreography during a 'Unity, Will, Victory' rally at Galatasaray's Nef Stadium in Istanbul, 27 November 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN

As President Erdogan finds himself in troubled waters after ruling the country for 21 years, the political atmosphere is tense and both sides predict victory.

Muharrem Ince, leader of the Homeland Party and former presidential candidate for Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

"I will leave them no excuses. Otherwise, they will put the blame on us [if incumbent President Erdogan's wins]," Ince told a press conference in Ankara in front of his party headquarters.

The distribution of the ministries will be made according to the number of deputies the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the İYİ (Good) Party will receive, the latter's chair Meral Akşener has said.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the joint presidential candidate of the oppositional Nation Alliance, has urged calm with only a few days left to one of Türkiye's most critical elections and criticized the government for not taking security measures to prevent the incident that took place in Erzurum over the weekend.

Turkish public broadcaster TRT has released campaign speeches of presidential candidates and political party representatives ahead of the May 14 elections as part of a long-standing tradition.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, seeking to renew his tenure, urged voters to "choose trust and prevalence of stability."