Ankara: Turkish citizens will vote on Sunday (May 14) in a crucial election that could unseat President Tayyip Erdogan after 20 years in power and halt his government’s increasingly authoritarian path. According to opinion polls, President Erdogan’s challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who heads an alliance of six opposition parties, has a slight lead, but if either of the leaders fails to get over 50% of the vote there will be a runoff election on May 28, the news agency Reuters reported.

Polls will open at 8 am (0500 GMT) and close at 5 pm (1400 GMT). And as per Turkish law, the reporting of any results is banned until 9 pm. Eligible voters will also elect a new parliament likely a tight race between the People’s Alliance comprising Erdogan’s conservative AK Party (AKP) and the nationalist MHP and others, and Kilicdaroglu’s Nation Alliance formed of six opposition parties, including his secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Erdogan’s campaign over the past month has focused on the government’s achievements in the defence industry and infrastructure projects and his assertion that the opposition would roll back such developments.

On the other hand, Kilicdaroglu, a former civil servant, promises that if he wins he would return to orthodox economic policies from Erdogan’s heavy management. Kilicdaroglu also said he would seek to return Turkey to the parliamentary system of governance, from Erdogan’s executive presidential system passed in a referendum in 2017.

The election in Turkey comes three months after the southeast region of the country was hit by a massive earthquake that killed over 50,000 people. Citizens affected by the disaster expressed anger over the slow initial government response, but there is little evidence that this issue will affect the election.

On Saturday, President Erdogan held his last election rallies in Istanbul and accused the opposition of working with United States President Joe Biden to topple him. “Biden gave the order to topple Erdogan, I know this. All my people know this. If that is the case, then the ballots tomorrow will give a response to Biden too,” Erdogan said, Reuters reported.

Later, a spokesperson from the US State Department said that Turkey was a long-standing American ally and that Washington would be following the election closely. But the spokesperson said the US does not take sides in elections.

“Our only interest is in the democratic process, which should be both free and fair. We trust that Turkish authorities will carry out the election in keeping with its long, proud democratic tradition and its laws,” the spokesperson added.