General Election Polls Open in Turkey

Turkey`s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the announcement of his ruling Justice and Development Party`s (AKP) election manifesto in Ankara, Turkey in April 2011. EPA/BGNES

Turkish people are going to the polls Sunday to vote in general elections, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) seeking a third term in office.

According to latest surveys, AKP has a comfortable 42% to 50% of the vote.

If AKP manages to secure full majority by having over two thirds - more than 376 seats in the 550-member Parliament, Erdogan's party can introduce a new Constitution without the need of a referendum and negotiations with the opposition.

The current Constitution would not allow the PM to run for a fourth term in 2015.

The conservative AKP is centering its campaign around the strong economic growth, lower unemployment, a more assertive foreign policy, and not at the last place – Erdogan's personal charisma.

The main challenger is the secular Republican People's Party (CHP).

Under its new leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the party abandoned its image as a supporter of state and military intervention in politics, and is running as a backer of European social democratic values.

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