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Election documents in Ankara
Photo: Sedat Suna / EPA
In Turkey, the run-off election for the presidency has begun. Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. local time on Sunday for the first run-off election in the country's history, and are scheduled to close at 17:00 p.m. local time. The long-time incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is considered the favorite in the election, while the social democratic opposition leader Kemal Erdoğan is running against Kılıçdaroğlu.
Erdoğan was around five percentage points ahead of his rival in the first round two weeks ago, but narrowly missed out on an absolute majority. The ultra-nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan, who came third with five percent of the vote, spoke out in favour of Erdoğan after his resignation.
Before the first round of voting, the 74-year-old opposition leader Erdoğan was still considered the most promising candidate against Kılıçdaroğlu, according to polls. Key issues in the election campaign included high inflation in the country and reconstruction after the severe earthquake in southern Turkey.
60 million citizens called upon
Erdoğan has been at the helm of the country for 20 years. If re-elected for a five-year term, the 69-year-old Islamic-conservative head of state is widely expected to cement his power and further intensify his authoritarian course.
Turks living in Germany were able to cast their votes until last Wednesday. In Turkey, around 60 million citizens are called to vote. The first results of the run-off election are expected in the early evening.
rai/AFP