Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival has given what he said was a ‘last chance’ for the Turkish president to take part in a television debate.
The 64-year-old Erdogan is standing for re-election in a presidential in a vote that could cement Turkey’s switch from a parliamentary to a presidential system, which was narrowly approved in a referendum last year.
At a mass rally in the capital Ankara, Muharrem Ince, a fiery lawmaker from the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) had a message for Erodgan.
‘Tomorrow is the last evening. If you have the courage, confront me,’ he said.
Hundreds of thousand of supporters of Muharrem Ince, the main presidential candidate facing Erdogan, gather at rally in Izmir with his face projected on a giant screen
Supporters of Ince wave flags during the election rally in Izmir. The opposition is seeking to prevent Erdogan winning a fourth term as the country’s leader
Muharrem Ince waving to supporters at a rally in Ankara, where he challenged Erdogan to a television debate
This week Erdogan he said he wants to become Turkey’s ‘grandmaster’ and help his country become one of the world’s top powers if re-elected for a four term as the nation’s leader.
But this time he is facing more robust opposition figures and parties cooperating with each other in an anti-Erdogan alliance.
The Ankara campaign comes only a day after Ince gathered hundreds of thousands in one of the biggest election rallies in years in the Aegean city of Izmir.
Throwing down the gauntlet to the President, Ince said: ‘Look, that’s my last proposal to you. If you want, I can even cancel my Istanbul rally for you. Come, confront me, let’s debate on tv.’
The event was the second giant rally the opposition leader addressed within the space of two days.
And he is due to hold another rally in Istanbul on Saturday.
Erdogan at a rally of his own supporters this week in the city of Kahramanmaras. He has so far refused to take part in television debates during the election
Erdogan, a favourite to win the presidential polls, has in the past rejected the opposition candidate’s proposal for a television debate, saying that ‘I don’t want anyone to get points through me’.
Ince has injected a breath of fresh air into the presidential campaign with his dynamism and oratorical skills comparable to those of Erdogan.
Many analysts say he could force the president into a second run-off on July 8.
In Ankara, Ince accused the state-run Anadolu news agency and TRT television of committing a ‘constitutional crime’ for failing to be even-handed.
‘TRT aired Erdogan for 181 hours, Muharrem Ince for 15 hours,’ he said.