The polls have opened in Türkiye for key presidential and parliamentary elections that will decide whether incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will retain power, in a hotly contested race.
The polling stations opened at 8am local time in 81 provinces, with almost 200,000 ballot boxes installed across the country. Around 60 million people are eligible to vote, while 1.8 million people abroad have already cast their ballots. Both the president and members of the parliament are elected for five-year terms.
According to the election laws, news, forecasts, and commentary about the elections are not permitted until 6pm local time, one hour after the polls close. The results cannot be reported on until 9pm.
On Friday, Ahmet Yener, the head of the Supreme Election Board, said the authorities had taken “all measures for healthy and secure elections,” including reinforcing the technological infrastructure against power cuts and cyber-attacks.