President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan cast his vote on Sunday in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Erdoğan voted at the Saffet Çebi Middle School in Istanbul’s Üsküdar at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time. He was accompanied by First Lady Emine Erdoğan.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Erdoğan praised the high voter turnout, which according to him had crossed 50 percent.
“It [turnout] displays how advanced Turkish democracy is and how developed its democratic maturity is.
“Turkey is experiencing a democratic revolution with this election,” he added.
Erdoğan further asserted that, with the new governing system, Turkey will be able to reach the level of contemporary civilizations.
The president will follow the elections initially in Istanbul and later arrive in Ankara during later hours to follow rest of the elections.
Supporters gathered in front of the polling station he voted at and chanted slogans in support of him.
Six candidates are running for president: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the alliance (People’s Alliance) formed by Turkey’s ruling AK Party and the MHP, Muharrem Ince for CHP, Selahattin Demirtas for HDP, Meral Aksener for the Good (IYI) Party, Temel Karamollaoglu for the Felicity (Saadet) Party, and Dogu Perincek for the Patriotic (Vatan) Party.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has served as president since 2014, and is Turkey’s first popularly-elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.
Erdoğan would be Turkey’s first leader to rule under the presidential system should he win the election.
