The polling stations in Turkey have been closed since 4 p.m. German time, now the counting begins. However, it should take until the evening before reasonably reliable results are available. Even before the polling stations in Turkey closed, opposition politicians reported attacks on election observers. Incidents are said to have occurred in Istanbul and in the south-east of the country. The presidential candidate Kılıçdaroğlu also speaks of more difficult election conditions.
A deputy from the main opposition party, CHP, Ali Seker, reports that he and an election worker were attacked by a group in the southeastern Turkish province of Sanliurfa after they complained about irregularities in the election. CHP parliamentary group leader Özgür Özel had previously written on Twitter that election observers had been beaten and their phones smashed. There are not enough security personnel, he complained.
Several media also report on incidents in Istanbul. Accordingly, election workers are said to have been attacked in two districts. In another district, lawyers were not allowed into the polling stations. These statements cannot be independently verified.
When presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu cast his ballot in the Turkish capital Ankara, he said: “These elections are taking place under very difficult conditions.” The opposition had been defamed. International election observers had already criticized the media dominance of the government and incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In addition, the electoral authority YSK is considered politicized.
In the first round of the presidential election two weeks ago, incumbent Erdoğan narrowly missed out on an absolute majority. He is now running in a runoff against opposition leader Kılıçdaroğlu. Around 61 million people are called to vote in Turkey. Eligible voters in Germany have already voted.