Candidates make penultimate calls on TRT

ANKARA

Turkish public broadcaster TRT has released campaign speeches of presidential candidates and political party representatives ahead of the May 14 elections as part of a long-standing tradition.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, seeking to renew his tenure, urged voters to “choose trust and prevalence of stability.”

“We took on the responsibility given to us by citizens in all 15 elections we’ve been to. We overcame every challenge in this difficult process thanks to your support and prayers. We are preparing to build the ‘Century of Türkiye’ dream through the same mindset, and we call upon everyone to join us to achieve this,” he told the nation.

Six-party Nation Alliance’s presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, in his part, accused TRT of being a “broadcaster of the ruling party” and shared “true stories of people who have suffered under Erdoğan’s regime.”

“This is the election of 85 million people. You won’t vote for me on May 14, you will vote for justice,” he said.

Muharrem İnce, leader of the Homeland Party, criticized the government for mismanaging state institutions, the economy and agriculture. He called on voters to support his party, which he described as neither “left nor right” but composed of those “walking in the footsteps of Atatürk,” the founder of modern Türkiye.

Sinan Oğan, the candidate for the Ata Alliance, pledged to sign a decree to “send Syrians and all refugees back to their countries” and establish a Disaster Ministry if elected.

The candidates will appear one last time in the time slots allocated to them on May 13.