President Erdogan to conclude election campaign with evening prayer at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

While continuing with his campaign activities in Istanbul, Erdogan has chosen to end his program on Saturday with this significant event.

Türkiye is scheduled to hold presidential elections on May 14, 2023, in conjunction with parliamentary elections. During these elections, voters will choose a president for a term of five years. It is estimated that approximately 64 million voters will participate, with 60.9 million within Türkiye and 3.2 million residing abroad. The selection of May 14 as the election date is symbolic, paying homage to Türkiye's inaugural democratic election held in 1950.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the incumbent President and leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), is seeking re-election as the joint candidate of the People's Alliance. This alliance comprises the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and three other smaller parties, while receiving support from the HÜDA PAR (Free Cause Party) as well.

The Nation Alliance, which consists of six opposition parties including the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has nominated Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of CHP, as its presidential candidate. The Alliance has pledged to restore Türkiye's constitutional framework to a parliamentary system of governance, reversing the presidential system implemented after the 2017 referendum. Although not officially part of the alliance, the Green Left Party (YSP) and the Labour and Freedom Alliance, of which YSP is a member, have endorsed Kılıçdaroğlu.

In addition to Erdogan and Kılıçdaroğlu, two other minor candidates have met the requirement of obtaining 100,000 signatures to stand in the election. These candidates are Muharrem İnce, the leader of the Homeland Party, and Sinan Oğan, nominated by the Ancestral Alliance, a secular nationalist group. However, İnce withdrew from the election three days before the voting, citing continuous slander and smear campaigns by rival candidates, although his name will still appear on the ballots. (ILKHA)