Politics of Turkey

Ahead of Sunday's election in Greece's eastern neighbor across the Aegean, messages from Turkey arriving in Athens in recent days indicate additional reductions in military exercises.

Following an inconclusive result in the initial vote necessitating a runoff election between the top two contenders, incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nation Alliance's candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Turkish citizens are poised to cast their ballots once again on May 28.

The votes cast by Turkish citizens living abroad for the presidential election runoff, slated for May 28 at home, have reached the capital Ankara.

Votes cast at the ballot boxes reinstalled at 167 points in 151 representative offices across 73 countries were brought to Türkiye by "diplomatic couriers" under high security after voting at diplomatic missions ended on May 24.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the 85 million citizens of Türkiye will benefit from the outcome of the May 28 polls if the People's Alliance wins the presidential election runoff.

"If we win on May 28, each of the 85 million individuals will also win," Erdoğan said in an interview with broadcasters Kanal D and CNN Türk on May 25.

As Turkish voters head back to the polls on Sunday for a crucial presidential runoff election, where they will choose between an incumbent leader with increasingly authoritarian tendencies and an opposition that promises to restore democracy, three analysts delve into the factors contributing to Erdogan's enduring political career.

Illustration: BIRN/Igor Vujcic

On May 14, Erdogan's People's Allaince secured a comfortable majority in parliament and Erdogan himself received 49.5 per cent of the total vote in the presidential race.

He now aims to cement his rule for another five years by beating his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition's joint champion, in the seond round.

This week Sinan Ogan, the nationalist "kingmaker" who came third in Turkey's elections, endorsed President Erdogan, and his voters could hold the key to victory on Sunday in Turkey's runoff.

ISTANBUL - Inflation in Turkey remains stubborn at 44%. Consumers have watched their paychecks buy less and less food as the months tick by. And now, government largesse and efforts to prop up the currency are threatening economic growth and could push the country into recession.

We knew from the start that the calm interlude in Greek-Turkish relations would not last forever. It was a careful but temporary agreement that will expire after the elections are completed in Greece and Turkey. Now, we see Ankara slowly returning to an aggressive rhetoric.

Turkey's anti-immigrant Victory Party leader endorsed opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu on Wednesday, potentially boosting the challenger as he aims to make up ground and defeat President Tayyip Erdogan in Sunday's runoff election.