Presidential election in Turkey: Erdogan and Kiliçdaroglu hammer home their arguments one last time

On the eve of the second round of the presidential election in Turkey, outgoing Head of State Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his opponent Kemal Kiliçdaroglu held their last meetings on Saturday 27 May.

In power for 20 years, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is on track to be re-elected this Sunday. Istanbul, 27 May 2023. AP - Khalil Hamra

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For his last meeting in Ankara, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu returned to the fundamentals of his campaign: the economy and purchasing power. The candidate of a six-party coalition notably addressed housewives – an electorate that votes mainly for Tayyip Erdogan – promising them a minimum income and social security. "I will make sure that no woman depends on a man," he said.

On the shores of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, the Turkish president also addressed women, but to return again and again to the issue of the veil, reports our correspondent, Anne Andlauer. Recep Tayyip Erdogan recalled the prohibitions that veiled women had to undergo before he came to power, especially at university, suggesting that these prohibitions would return in case of victory of the opposition. The Head of State once again claimed "nationalism", to repeat what has been, from the beginning, his main angle of attack: Kemal Kiliçdaroglu would be the candidate of Turkey's "enemies", notably the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

After beating his opponent in the first round (49.5% against 44.9%), the outgoing president believes he is in a strong position to win this Sunday. "Our shopkeepers, our workers, our young people, they will be the winners! All those who have confidence in the Nation will be the winners! " he claimed.

>> Read also: International report – Presidential election in Turkey: with supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan

His supporters also believe in it. "Of course he will win, with 60% of the votes," predicts one of them at the microphone of our special envoy, Daniel Vallot. I would have preferred him to win in the first round, but it's better that way... It shows that we are a real democracy. "For 20 years, Erdogan has given us everything, repeat the supporters of the Turkish president, guarantor in their eyes of the stability of the country in an international context deemed perilous for Turkey. "In the north there is Ukraine, in the east the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in the south, Syria... We are surrounded by war. That's why we need a leader like Erdogan," said another.

Between the two rounds, Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the support of the third man in the presidential election, the nationalist Sinan Ogan, who won 5.2% of the vote in the first round. Kemal Kiliçdaroglu won the support of another far-right leader, Ümit Özdag, leader of the Victory Party. But to hope to win against a given arch-favorite incumbent, the opposition candidate needs 2.8 million more votes than in the first round. Against only 264,000 for Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The choice of the 8 million voters who did not turn out to vote on 14th May will be decisive in this.

>> READ ALSO: Presidential election in Turkey: a few days before the second round, Kiliçdaroglu mobilizes at all costs

(And with agencies)

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• Turkey
• Recep Tayyip Erdogan