Turkey Election: Erdogan Rival Kilicdaroglu ensures peace and democracy

Opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu (2d from the right) is polling ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

 

For Turkey's prolonged-time leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it comes in the shape of a former civil servant, given to developing coronary coronary heart emojis alongside with his fingers.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, backed through a six-birthday celebration competition alliance, says if he wins he'll deliver freedom and democracy to Turkey, whatever it takes.

"The kids want democracy," he advised the BBC. "They do not need the police to go back to their doorways early within the morning virtually due to the fact they tweeted."

he's the Islamist leader's crucial rival in elections on 14 can also additionally and has a narrow lead in opinion polls. This tight race is predicted to visit a second round  weeks later.

Presently Turks can visit jail for "insulting the president"

" I'm telling younger people they're capable of criticise me freely. I will make sure they've this proper," says the seventy four-12 months-antique, who leads the precept opposition Republican humans's birthday celebration (CHP).

some of Mr Kilicdaroglu's supporters worry for his protection but he says it comes with the territory.

"Being in politics in Turkey technique choosing a lifestyles with risks. i'm in a position to walk my route some thing Erdogan and his allies do. They can't located me off. They cannot scare me. I made a promise to this country."

President Erdogan, sixty nine, has mocked his rival within the beyond pronouncing he "couldn't even herd a sheep". however he is harder to disregard now.

 

Mr Kilicdaroglu is greeted with the useful resource of chanting supporters on the sea-the front at Izmir

Arriving for a rally inside the port town of Izmir, an opposition stronghold, the competition candidate is greeted via a sea of flag-waving supporters.

There are chants of "Kilicdaroglu is the want of the people". Many inside the crowd are younger. five million Turks will vote for the first time on this election.

At 15, Oguz is too younger to visit the polls however could not stay faraway from the rally. "he's a terrific man or woman, and he sees the future certainly. If he becomes president our monetary device will upward thrust up, and we are capable of upward thrust up."

Mr Kilicdaroglu instructed me in advance than the rally he might reorient Turkey, and prioritise circle of relatives contributors with the West, not the Kremlin.

"We want to emerge as part of the civilized international," he said. "We need free media and entire judicial independence. Erdogan does now not suppose that way. He desires to be more authoritarian. The difference between us and Erdogan is the distinction between black and white."

 

 

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But will Recep Tayyip Erdogan cross quietly if he is defeated after  a long time in electricity, first as prime minister and now all-effective president?

"we can retire him, and deliver him to his nook," said Mr Kilicdaroglu. "he is going to step again quietly. no man or woman ought to have any worries approximately it."

Others aren't so sure. There are signs and symptoms that the Turkish chief can be making ready to dispute the result if he loses. indoors Minister Suleyman Soylu has warned the vote can be "a coup attempt thru the West".

Mr Kilicdaroglu said the mixed competition might be vigilant, trusting neither the president, "nor his brilliant Election Council nor his judges".

"with the resource of getting a couple of observer in all the polling stations, we need to make sure that votes are solid effectively, securely, and the counting is executed properly. We have been taking precautions to attain this, running tough for a 12 months and a half of."

in lots of methods he's the anti-Erdogan. He has recorded marketing campaign motion pictures at his modest kitchen table, tea towels putting neatly within the historic past.

showing he knows his onions, his rival appeared in a single video with one in hand, warning fees would possibly preserve hovering if Mr Erdogan remained in power. "Now, one kilogram of onion is 30 liras," he stated. "If he remains it will likely be a hundred liras."