Turkey held presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeking a new term in office. Erdogan has been in power for 20 years and has led Turkey through a period of change but also faced criticism over his economic policies and alleged restrictions on freedom of expression. Early results show Erdogan in the lead with 59.47% of votes, while opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has 34.79%. If neither candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held on May 28. More than 64 million Turks were eligible to vote, including over 6 million first-time voters.
Erdogan’s AK Party has led Turkey towards modernization with infrastructure projects such as bridges, hospitals and airports, but his economic policy of low-interest rates has led to inflation and a rising cost of living. Kilicdaroglu has pledged to restore orthodox economic policy and the independence of the Turkish central bank. Erdogan’s critics accuse him of eroding rights and controlling the judicial system, while supporters see him as a strong leader who has brought stability to Turkey.
