Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu Prepare for the Final 'Showdown' for the Presidency

The protracted process of the presidential elections in Turkey is coming to an end, as candidates have until Saturday at 18:00 to campaign. Russian news agency TASS has reported on the situation.

On Saturday, just 20 minutes before the end of the campaign, both candidates will have their last opportunity to broadcast their messages to the electorate on television. They will each have 10 minutes for their pre-election speeches, as required by electoral law. The order of the speeches will be determined by a lottery, and this time, opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu will speak from 17:39 to 17:49, while incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will close the campaign from 17:50 to 18:00. Only the speaker is allowed on camera, who must be dressed in a suit and tie and display the Turkish flag.

Following a period of intense excitement ahead of the May 14 vote, the candidates' campaigns have proceeded quietly on the eve of the second round of voting scheduled for Sunday. There have been no major rallies; Erdogan has predominantly opted to engage with the public via television screens. He has given several interviews to major television channels lasting one-and-a-half to two hours each. This time, he has barely touched on international politics, focusing instead on domestic affairs.

Kilicdaroglu has held several rallies and given interviews to various media outlets. He spent four hours engaging with youth and students on the BaBaLa TV YouTube channel. This is one of Turkey's most vibrant discussion platforms, and participating in its events can be quite risky for a political figure due to the likelihood of provocative questions that the public expects clear answers to.

During a television broadcast, Kilicdaroglu even challenged Erdogan to a debate, but this proposal was declined. The current leader stated that he has nothing to discuss with his rival.