ANKARA, Turkey – It was a quiet, calm and orderly atmosphere at the Arjantin Ilkokulu Elementary School in the capital Ankara of Turkey.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu promised to bring back a more democratic country. Continuity of change?
Salami Toprak, an 67-year-old geologist, said, “I hope that it will be good to Turkey.” “Let’s wait and see,” he said, adding that he was considering the future generation when he cast his vote.
The run-off election in the Turkish Republic centennial year was closely watched by everyone from Washington to Kyiv, Moscow to Beijing. Neither candidate had been able to get more than 50% in on the first ballot, which took place on May 14,. Erdogan fell short of this goal by a tiny amount.
Kilicdaroglu (74), has described the runoff as a vote on the future of the country. Since 2010, Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the secular center-left Republican People’s Party (CHP), has been a very different figure than Erdogan, known for his explosive speeches. He is known for his soft-spoken manner and as a bridge builder.
Kilicdaroglu, and his alliance, have also promised to restore the country to a democratic parliamentary system, establish checks and balances, and restore the democratic backsliding.
Ballot papers for the Turkish presidential election at the Arjantin İlkokulu elementary in Turkey’s capital Ankara.
Paul Goldman / NBC News
Erdogan, however, is expected to win after his Justice and Development Party retained a majority of seats in parliament during the recent elections.
In the beginning, however, he was trailing in the opinion polls. The campaign had been dominated by the aftermath of the devastating quake which left more than 50,000 people dead earlier this summer and the economic turmoil.
Erdogan has increased wages and pensions in the run-up to the first round of elections, as well as subsidized gas and electricity bills to try and win over voters who are facing a severe cost-of living crisis and currency crisis caused by government rate cuts in an effort to boost exports.
Both candidates have also focused on immigration and sought to boost their nationalist credentials before the runoff.
Kilicdaroglu stated that he would repatriate all refugees in two years, by creating favorable conditions. He has since reaffirmed his position and promised to return all refugees once he is elected president.
Erdogan courted, and then won, the support of Sinan Ogan. The former academic, who had been endorsed for president by a party that was anti-migrant, but was eliminated when he finished third in the initial round of voting, was now a nationalist politician. Ogan, on the campaign trail said that he was willing to send migrants back with force if needed.
Although the economy and immigration were important issues, Dimitar Bechev, an Oxford University lecturer in the U.K. and author of “Turkey Under Erdogan”, said that Erdogan managed to securitize elections and convince his base that the national security was on the line.
The results of the referendum will have a wide range of implications outside Turkey. Turkey is strategically located at a crossroads between Europe and Asia. The NATO second-largest armed force is Turkey, which controls the crucial Bosporus Strait and it’s widely believed that U.S. nukes are on its territory.
The country, despite being a NATO Member, has kept close ties to Russia and blocked Sweden from joining the Western military alliance.
According to Nilgun Eralp, director of the Center for E.U. The Economic Policy Research Institute of Turkey, in Ankara, is a good place to study.
Eralp stated that “given the dire economic situation, Russian money will need to be used for the regime to remain,” adding that he was likely to continue to oppose Swedish membership in NATO, damaging the relations with the United States, and bringing the country closer towards the Kremlin.
Ankara accuses Sweden for years of harboring Kurdistan Workers Party militants, a banned terrorist group in Turkey and Sweden.
Ergun Yayla said he would vote for Erdogan ahead of the election.
Yayla said, “I believe a change in politics would be beneficial for our country. However, I don’t know anyone else who I feel is trustworthy and could succeed.”
The opposition is weak and will not win.
Matt Bradley and Paul Goldman report from Ankara. Leila Sapkur reported from London.
Neyran Elden also contributed.
