The following is a presentation of the prominent personalities in these fateful presidential and parliamentary elections:
20 year sentence
Erdogan, 69, rose to power 20 years ago as Turkey was emerging from a period of hyperinflation.
He then promised a rational government to replace the coalition accused of mismanagement at the time.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Reuters)
At the height of Erdogan’s success, the country enjoyed a prolonged economic boom, during which the living standards of its 85 million people rose.
He won more than a dozen elections, and survived a coup attempt in 2016.
While charting a course for the country within the framework of his vision of a religious and conservative society with a say at the regional level, even critics say he exploited the judiciary to suppress dissent.
However, the past recent years witnessed a deterioration in the economic and living conditions, amid a rise in inflation, and a growing wave of criticism of the government’s economic policy.
But the man who is the most remaining in power in Turkey sought during the election campaign to attract voters by promoting huge projects in infrastructure and construction and by reviewing the country’s industrial achievements.
While he warned of chaos in the government administration in the event of the victory of the opposition.
Does onion beat Erdogan?
As for the leader of the Republican People’s Party, Kamal Kılıçdaroğlu, he focused during his campaign on “bread, onions and potatoes,” in other words, on people’s concerns and living conditions. Even his supporters promoted the idea that “onions may beat Erdogan” this time.
The opposition alliance of six parties chose the quiet man dubbed Gandhi of Turkey, 74, last March as its presidential candidate.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (Reuters)
Knowing that he has long remained in the shadows due to Erdogan’s overwhelming presence on the scene, he has been unable to match the AKP’s successes in the previous parliamentary elections since he led the center-left Republican People’s Party in 2010.
The former government employee won a seat in parliament in 2002 among the deputies of the Republican People’s Party, which was founded by the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and struggled to reach a base larger than the party’s secular base, namely the conservatives.
He resorted to a non-excluding rhetoric in an effort to attract voters who were disappointed by Erdogan’s statements and his economic mismanagement.
He also made promises of economic prosperity and greater respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Sinan.. no chances
Finally, Sinanoglu comes as a third candidate, but he has little chance of winning.
The 55-year-old former academic and founder of the Turksam think tank entered parliament in 2011 as an MP for the right-wing Nationalist Movement Party.
Then he tried to reach the leadership of the party in 2015, but he did not succeed in that, and he was later dismissed.
So Sunday’s race is between Erdogan and Klichdar Oglu, with good chances for the latter to win and end two decades of “one-man” rule, as the opposition describes it.
