In Turkey, citizens living abroad can vote in the country’s upcoming elections on May 14, from April 27, the Supreme Electoral Council announced today.
Exercising the right of Turkish citizens living abroad to vote in the election will begin at border crossings and polling stations abroad on April 27 and end on May 9, the statement said.
Turkey is holding on May 14 one of the most crucial presidential and parliamentary elections in recent years. Under the Constitution, if no presidential candidate receives 50% of the vote, a second round will be held on May 28.
In this case, Turkish citizens abroad can vote in the elections between May 20 and 24, according to the YSK.
Challenge for Erdogan
The parliamentary and presidential elections are considered one of the biggest challenges for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The 69-year-old has been in power for the past 20 years.
Last week, a six-party alliance named opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, 74, as the joint candidate to try to end Erdogan’s hegemony. Smaller parties also want to nominate their own candidates.
Kilintsaroglou is ahead
New polls this week showed Kilicdaroglu leading Erdogan by more than 10 percentage points in the presidential election.
It is not yet clear whether the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which is expected to play the role of moderator in the election, will nominate its own candidate or support Kilicdaroglu.
