Polling stations open in Turkey for presidential runoff

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
28 May 2023 08:17

The voting process ends at 5 pm local time, and results are expected to be announced a few hours after polls close.

A ballot paper for Turkey's second round of presidential elections (AFP)

Turkish voters head to polling stations to exercise their right in voting in the country's presidential runoff between incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from the ruling People's Alliance, and his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the candidate for the opposition Nation Alliance.

Polls opened at 8 am local time, and the process ends at 5 pm local time, while results are expected to be announced a few hours after polls close.

Polling stations outside Turkey on Wednesday closed after Turkish expatriates took part in the presidential runoff, while the process is underway at the border points until the afternoon.

On May 14, no presidential candidate ensured 50%+1 of the vote in the first round of the elections.

Turkey started on Saturday its electoral silence as campaigns for all parties were concluded.

More than 191,000 ballot boxes are set up in 973 districts and 1,094 electoral boards across the country.

#Turkish voters prepare to vote for their next president. Results of the 28th of May elections are anticipated by the local and international community.

The run-of elections in #Turkey came due to the inability of the Turkish Presidential candidates to obtain the 50% +1 votes… pic.twitter.com/pJWnPSnVnq
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 26, 2023

In their electoral campaigns, political parties focused on attracting three main groups.

First, young people, especially those who are voting for the first time in this year's elections.

Secondly, those who abstained from voting in the first round, and their percentage is approximately 11% of those eligible to vote, and their number is about 10 million voters.

The third category is hardline nationalists who have become an influential element in the electoral equation.

Over all other files such as economy and foreign policy, the refugee crisis dominated the electoral campaigns.

The first round witnessed a turnout of about 89%, and observers expect the run-off's turnout to be as high.

Last week, former presidential candidate Sinan Ogan announced that he would support Erdogan in the presidential runoff, whereas Turkey's Green Left Party YSP renewed its support for Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Ogan, who won 5.2% of the votes in the first round, asked his voters to support Erdogan in the second round.