Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the participation of at least 1.7 million people on Sunday in an election rally of his supporters in Istanbul, a week before the country's expected elections.
The mass participation in the rally, which included the opening ceremony of the first phase of the "People's Park" at the site of Ataturk Airport, came in the presence of President Erdogan.
In a speech to the crowd, Erdogan said: "Now bring me the official number (of participants in the election rally), the official number of one million and 700,<>."
Mass participation in the gathering included the opening ceremony of the first phase of the "People's Park" at the site of Ataturk Airport (Anatolia)
So far, about 1.5 million Turkish voters living abroad have cast their ballots in the general and presidential elections scheduled for May 14, which are contesting current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the People's Alliance, which represents the so-called opposition six-party table, as well as the head of the Balad Party Muharrem Ince and the candidate of the "Ancestral Alliance" Sinan Ogan.
As Turkey's general election abroad begins, all eyes are on Sunday, when Turkey will vote to choose a new president and parliament.
Erdogan announced that at least 1.7 million people participated in the electoral rally (Anatolia)
This year's elections are characterized by a referendum on the presidential system, as well as on the AKP rule led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for 20 years.
These elections also have local importance as they coincide with the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.