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Turkish election: Erdogan tested in runoff

Turks are voting in a momentous presidential run-off to decide whether or not Recep Tayyip Erdogan should remain in power after 20 years, the BBC reports.

His challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, backed by a broad opposition alliance, has billed the vote as a referendum on Turkey’s future direction.

The president, who is favorite to win, promises a new era uniting the country around a “Turkish century.”

Polling stations close at 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT). Turkish expats in Europe and the US have already cast their vote.

Turnout in the first round was an impressive 88.8%, and Mr Erdogan’s lead was 2.5 million votes. That is why both candidates have their eye on the eight million who did not vote – but could this time.

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