Turkey election: presidential candidates cast their votes
- 10 years ago
Turkey is holding its first popular vote for president. The post was previously elected by parliament.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister and the man who has dominated the country’s politics for the past decade, is standing for election. He cast his ballot in Istanbul at around 2.30
p.m. local time.
Erdogan is running for president against two other candidates.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, a leading diplomat and academic, is backed by Turkey’s two main opposition parties. He also voted in Istanbul.
Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas is also standing for election to Turkey’s top job. He cast his ballot in his hometown of Diyabakir.
Some 53 million people are eligible to vote in the election.
Polling stations are open until 5
p.m. local time.
The winner will succeed incumbent Abdullah Gul for a five-year term.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister and the man who has dominated the country’s politics for the past decade, is standing for election. He cast his ballot in Istanbul at around 2.30
p.m. local time.
Erdogan is running for president against two other candidates.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, a leading diplomat and academic, is backed by Turkey’s two main opposition parties. He also voted in Istanbul.
Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas is also standing for election to Turkey’s top job. He cast his ballot in his hometown of Diyabakir.
Some 53 million people are eligible to vote in the election.
Polling stations are open until 5
p.m. local time.
The winner will succeed incumbent Abdullah Gul for a five-year term.