Erdogan sets May 14 election date as he seeks to extend rule
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has formally set the country’s parliamentary and presidential elections for May 14
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday formally set the country’s parliamentary and presidential elections for May 14 — a month earlier than scheduled despite the devastating Feb. 6 earthquake that killed some 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria.
The elections could be the country’s most significant ones in decades. Erdogan is seeking to extend his two decades in power, and the voting will determine whether Turkey continues on the increasingly authoritarian course set by the strongman politician.
Erdogan has ruled over Turkey since 2003, first as prime minister and as president since 2014. The upcoming elections could present him with his stiffest electoral challenges.
Turkey is struggling with a troubled economy, soaring inflation and the aftermath of the Feb. 6 earthquake, which left hundreds of thousands of people across 11 Turkish provinces sheltering in tents or temporary accommodation.
