Turkey: Police respond to shooting on election day top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Turkish newspaper Yenicag reported Iyi Party Chairman for Karaçoban District, Mehmet Sıddık Durmaz, was shot dead during the voting process in ISE Secondary School located in Kopal. A statement released by CHP Karacoban District President Husnu Yilan said: “Some 24 officials from the Interior Ministry were sent here. "We did not accept this and we reacted. “Then an MP hopeful from the [ruling Justice and Development Party] AKP came and we did not accept his presence either. "After a fight broke out they started used guns." The IYI party also confirmed his death with another statement shared on social media. The party wrote on Twitter: "Durmaz was brutally shot dead by inglorious, dishonest people. “We are now responsible for seeking justice through the legal system." The party concluded offering condolences to Durmaz’s loved ones. At least three Iyi Party workers were shot dead on the day of Turkey's election Turkey's president Erdogan called snap election on April 2018 Two more party workers were also killed in the same shooting, local newspaper reported. The shooting took place on the day of Turkey's general election amid clashes in the streets and arrests. Police have earlier arrested three men for carrying four sacks full of ballot papers in a car heading to one of the polling stations in Suruç. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the snap election across 81 Turkish provinces in April in a bid to strengthen his leadership. The president has won every election so far during his 15 years in power. Some 81 Turkish provinces are voting today<doc-sep>Hundreds of thousands of Turkish voters turned out on to the streets and squares of Istanbul on Saturday for a final day of rallies ahead of crucial presidential and parliamentary elections taking place on Sunday. In a remarkable display of his growing popularity, opposition candidate Muharrem İnce drew at least a million people to a rally in the Maltepe district of the city, where he urged voters to end 16 years of rule by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development (AK) party. “We will embrace everyone,” he said, as supporters in festive mood sang anthems and waved red-and-white Turkish flags. “Turkey’s hopes will be revived. This is going to be a united Turkey.” İnce, the candidate of the secularist opposition party known as CHP, has emerged as the most charismatic challenger to Erdoğan, and may push the president into a second-round contest. An affable physics teacher and veteran CHP MP from the city of Yalova, he has criss-crossed the country marshalling votes and seeking a united front against the incumbent. He has pledged to roll back presidential powers, restore the rule of law in Turkey and end prosecutions of dissidents and journalists. But Erdoğan, 64, who has ruled the country since 2002, first as prime minister then as president, has persevered in his usual bombastic style, ending his campaign yesterday with no fewer than five rallies. In Istanbul’s Esenyurt district, he told tens of thousands of supporters Turkey would go on “to achieve what others cannot imagine”, if they re-elected him once again. Erdoğan called snap elections in April, a year and a half ahead of schedule, despite repeated denials by his party that such a plan was under consideration. He said regional instability made early elections imperative. But critics said Erdoğan was hoping to preempt an economic slump that had already been hinted at with the collapse of the Turkish lira against the dollar and a widening foreign trade deficit, and to limit and weaken the possible field of rivals. Whoever wins the presidential election will assume extraordinary new powers, narrowly approved in a referendum last year that was marred with allegations of fraud. Those include the ability to appoint the cabinet and unelected vice-presidents, as well as senior judges, the power to issue decrees with the force of law and with limited parliamentary oversight. The ‘affable physics teacher’ İnce has emerged as a charismatic and popular rival to the president. Photograph: Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images In the parliamentary race, the AK party has formed an alliance with the nationalist party, the MHP, led by the septuagenarian Devlet Bahçeli. It faces an opposition grand coalition that includes the secularists of the CHP, the nationalists of the Iyi party led by Meral Akşener, and the Saadet party’s Islamists. The pro-Kurdish HDP is running independently without being part of a coalition but has indicated it would back the opposition candidate that makes it to the second round against Erdoğan. The result of this dynamic campaign has been a far more interesting race than predicted when the snap polls were called, and has raised the distinct possibility that Erdoğan’s AK party may lose its parliamentary majority, even if the president is still the favourite to win. Public opinion polls are notoriously unreliable in Turkey. Nevertheless on average they appear to show Erdoğan securing a comfortable victory in the first round of the presidentials, but without an outright majority. A much tighter race is predicted between him and İnce in a second round on 8 July. Erdoğan faces a varied and convincing line-up of opponents, but İnce has proved the most threatening. In a month and a half he held 107 rallies in 65 cities, a whirlwind campaign that energised an opposition movement that few predicted would mount a credible challenge against Erdoğan. Last week he drew crowds of hundreds of thousands in the secular bastion of İzmir and in the capital, Ankara. He promised to end the state of emergency in place since the 2016 coup attempt, to continue “without mercy” the fight against terror groups, and to “unite Turkey”. İnce has broached many red lines for hardline secularists, visiting the imprisoned HDP leader Selahattin Demirtaş and demanding his release, as well as backing a parliamentary debate on resolving the Kurdish issue. He has also signalled his own religious piety and is a regular attendant at weekly Friday prayers, in a nod to Erdoğan’s religious base that is suspicious of secularists. At the end of his rally yesterday, he brought his headscarfed mother onto the stage, to loud cheers from supporters bearing flags of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the secular founder of the republic who abolished the Islamic caliphate. “Headscarf or not, man or woman, partisan or not, we will not discriminate against anyone,” he said. “You can wear your headscarf wherever you want.” İnce has sought to position himself as a democrat and populist, vowing to close down the opulent presidential palace in Ankara and turn it into an education centre, to end the state of emergency within two days of his victory, to restore the independence of the judiciary and to continue with determination the fight against terror groups. In a nativist nod, he pledged to restore diplomatic relations with the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, in order to pave the way for the return of Syrian refugees to their country. There are more than 3 million displaced Syrians in Turkey.Some will support Erdogan for his crushing of the separatist insurgency in the Kurdish region, and his success in pushing the militants away from the Turkish border with Syria. Others are unnerved by his alliance with nationalists and their hardline approach to the Kurdish issue, as well as his recent military foray into Syria’s Kurdish region of Afrin. Hundreds of HDP cadres, including MPs and the former chiefs of the party, mayors and activists have been detained in a wide-ranging crackdown, and many Kurdish news outlets have been shut down in the interim. Erdogan appears to be concerned over the loss of votes to the HDP.<doc-sep>This Sunday, Turkish voters will cast ballots for the parliament and president. Elections were originally scheduled for November 2019, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan moved them forward 18 months—before an economic slowdown started to bite, the nationalistic pride of military success in Syria faded, and opposition parties got organized. These elections have particular significance, marking Turkey’s transition from a parliamentary to a presidential system. The changes, approved in an April 2017 referendum, abolish the role of prime minister, authorize the president to appoint the cabinet and issue executive orders, and reduce legislative power. Read more: Four things to know ahead of Turkey’s elections Amid an increasingly authoritarian climate following a failed coup in July 2016, with 160,000 detained and most opposition media outlets shuttered, many view the results as a foregone conclusion. Yet Turkey, for all its flaws, is not Russia. Elections may be imperfect, but they still matter. If not, why bother changing the date? Even those who dislike Erdoğan rejected the attempted military putsch in favor of regime change via the ballot box. Turkey has held reasonably free and fair polls since 1950. In recent years, there have been some allegations of foul play. During November 2015 parliamentary elections, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) noted restrictions on media freedom and limits on some candidates’ ability to campaign due to localized violence. In last year’s constitutional referendum, the opposition criticized a last minute decision to count contested ballots. Yet notwithstanding any shenanigans, the results reflected a divided country: Erdoğan’s party lost its parliamentary majority in June 2015 elections (leading to the November do-over) and the referendum barely passed (51.4 percent for and 48.6 percent against). To be sure, Sunday’s elections will not be “fair.” The OSCE’s preliminary report cited restrictions on freedom of assembly, association, and expression. The media landscape consists almost exclusively of outlets owned by pro-government businesses. The government has maintained a state of emergency since the coup attempt, which bans demonstrations and protests. The leader of the Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtaş, has been imprisoned along with other party members and officials since November 2016 on spurious terrorism charges; he has attempted to campaign from jail. Changes to election procedures—such as allowing law enforcement to monitor voting, relocating polling stations on security grounds, and counting ballots without official seals—have heightened concerns about potential abuses. Read more: A jailed Kurdish kingmaker could decide Turkey’s future However, these elections will arguably be “free.” They are also far more competitive than expected. The recent election and referendum results show Erdoğan is not invincible. He has floundered on the campaign trail, perhaps due to opposition pressure or fatigue. His formation of an alliance (People’s Alliance) with the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) indicates concern about his electoral prospects. Most significantly, Erdoğan is vulnerable on the economy—the issue that helped bring his Justice and Development Party (AKP) to power in 2002. Although pocketbook politics has contributed to his continued popularity, opinion polls suggest the economy is voters’ top priority; rising inflation and unemployment as well as the lira’s 20 percent depreciation against the dollar this year diminish his appeal. Despite the uneven playing field, Turkey’s opposition parties—often criticized for being divided and weak—have energized the country with serious and well-organized campaigns. The social-democratic Republican People’s Party (CHP) put forward a dynamic candidate, Muharrem Ince, who has garnered enthusiastic support with promises of improved Western relations and populist economic policies. Meral Akşener broke from the MHP to create the Iyi (Good) Party and began effectively challenging Erdoğan. When the earlier election date raised questions about her new party’s eligibility to run, the CHP “loaned” 15 legislators to ensure Iyi Party had sufficient numbers to form a parliamentary group. These parties (plus two smaller parties) formed an opposition alliance (National Alliance), which could cost the AKP a governing majority. All eyes are on the Kurds: opposition control is more likely if the HDP, which is outside this formal alliance, crosses the 10 percent threshold to enter parliament. The election has three possible outcomes: Erdoğan wins, backed in parliament by his party’s alliance; one of his opponents wins, supported by the opposition coalition; or there is a mixed result with the president and parliament belonging to different camps. Although opinion polls in Turkey are unreliable, they generally suggest the third scenario: AKP loses parliament, no presidential candidate secures the requisite 50 percent-plus-one, and a run-off is held on July 8. Although the opposition has agreed to rally behind the second candidate, the safe bet is Erdoğan emerges victorious but weakened. This would create a unique situation in Turkey, with a newly empowered president confronted by a hostile legislature. Irrespective of the outcome, this snap election campaign has highlighted the resilience of the Turkish public, the fallibility of its long-time leader, and the strength of alternative ideas. Hours after parliament was bombed in the attempted coup, Turkish legislators met there to pass a joint resolution condemning the attack on their democracy. “Despite our political differences,” it stated, “we all are on the side of the national will.” This election should remind the West yet again not to underestimate the strength of Turkey’s democratic spirit. Sign up for Inside TIME. Be the first to see the new cover of TIME and get our most compelling stories delivered straight to your inbox. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters.<doc-sep>The new constitution mandates that presidential and parliamentary elections should be held on the same day every five years, and that a president can serve a maximum of two terms. (There is no provision for midterm elections such as those in the United States.)<doc-sep>
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his main challenger, Muharrem Ince, have made a final push for support at rival rallies in Istanbul, a day before presidential and parliamentary elections that are widely viewed as the most crucial in Turkey for decades. Key points: Mr Erdogan has led Turkey for 15 years as prime minister and later president Mr Erdogan has led Turkey for 15 years as prime minister and later president Mr Ince, a former teacher, is his main opposition threat Mr Ince, a former teacher, is his main opposition threat Mr Erdogan called snap elections more than a year ahead of schedule Speaking in Istanbul, Mr Erdogan urged Turks to vote. He listed the hospitals and transport infrastructure constructed under his 15 years at Turkey's helm as proof of his leadership, and slammed his opponents for lacking vision. However, his main opponent, Mr Ince, drew a massive crowd to an Istanbul rally on Saturday. The winner of Sunday's presidential contest will acquire sweeping new executive powers under a constitutional overhaul backed by Mr Erdogan and endorsed last year by a narrow majority of Turks in a referendum. Mr Erdogan, 64, who has dominated Turkish politics for 15 years, first as prime minister and since 2014 as president, praised the executive presidency that comes into force after the election. "God willing, Turkey will start flying with this system... With this system, we will achieve what others cannot imagine," he told tens of thousands of supporters at a rally in Istanbul's Esenyurt district, the first of five planned for Saturday. Mr Erdogan called snap elections more than a year ahead of schedule, in a bid to usher in an executive presidency with sweeping powers. He said the new system will bring stability and prosperity to Turkey, but critics warn it could lead to a "one-man rule". Sorry, this video has expired Turkey's election comes at a time when Turkey's democracy appears to be at odds with it's increasingly autocratic government. Mr Erdogan also promised to deliver more of the big infrastructure projects that have characterised his time in power and helped make him the most popular — if also the most divisive — leader of modern Turkish history. But with Turkey's economic woes mounting, partly due to the lira currency's sharp decline, Mr Erdogan and his ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party are facing an unexpectedly strong challenge from a revitalised opposition. Opposition appeal Opposition leader Muharrem Ince has enjoyed great support at rallies across the country. ( AP: Emre Tazegul Mr Ince, a former teacher and the presidential candidate of the main opposition party, the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP), has proved highly effective on the campaign trail, drawing huge crowds, especially in the big cities. On Saturday police said at least 1 million people turned out in Istanbul's Maltepe district to hear Mr Ince promise to reverse — if he wins the presidency — what he sees as Turkey's turn towards more authoritarian rule under Mr Erdogan. Mr Ince repeated an accusation made by other opposition politicians of political bias by Turkey's state media, which has given Mr Erdogan and the AK Party heavy coverage while often neglecting to broadcast opposition rallies. Extra security forces and more than half a million ballot monitors and volunteers will be deployed across Turkey. ( AP: Lefteris Pitarakis "There are 5 million people in Maltepe right now but none of the TV channels can show it," he said. That figure could not be independently verified, though images circulating on social media showed vast crowds of people assembled to hear Mr Ince speak. "Let this immorality be an example to the world," said Mr Ince, who said he had held 107 rallies around Turkey in the 51 days since his candidacy was announced. Braving a summer thunderstorm, Mr Ince's festive supporters sang anthems and waved red and white Turkish flags. A supporter on a wheelchair was lifted by relatives to get a better glimpse of Turkey's President Erdogan during an election rally. ( AP: Lefteris Pitarakis On the other side of the Bosphorus, the waterway bisecting Istanbul and separating Europe from Asia, Mr Erdogan dismissed fears of any ballot-rigging on Sunday, saying the polls would be fair and safe. "We have taken all security precautions," Mr Erdogan said. Opposition parties and non-governmental organisations say they plan to deploy more than half a million monitors and volunteers at ballot boxes across Turkey to prevent fraud. AP/Wires