Voting in run-off underway as Erdogan hopes to retain power

After months of campaigning by two dozen political parties, four presidential candidates and a bewildering lineup of electoral alliances, Turkish voters head to the polls, again, on Sunday, to make a critical choice between two men. 

The first round two weeks ago saw Erdogan clinch 49.52% of the votes and Kilicdaroglu 44.88%. To win the election, a candidate must receive a simple majority of the votes.

Erdogan said that on May 28, Turkish voters would have to make "the most important choice of their lives, a decision concerning the future" of the country and its children.

Kilicdaroglu, for his part, noted that "for the first time, Turkish citizens will have to choose between two candidates and two worldviews.

Sinan Ogan, the third-placed candidate in the first round, who received 5% of the votes, announced on Monday that he was throwing his support behind Erdogan in the upcoming run-off and called on his supporters to vote for the incumbent president.

Kilicdaroglu votes in Ankara

Kilicdaroglu has voted at Argentina Primary School in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

“In order to get rid of the tyrannical regime and in order to establish real democracy, I appeal to all citizens to go to the polling stations.

“These elections are taking place under difficult conditions due to attempts at deception, but I believe that citizens are free and willing to go to the polls,” Kilicdaroglu said after voting.

Erdogan casts his vote from Istanbul

Erdogan and his wife have arrived at Uskudar Saffet Celebi High School school to cast their votes.

Crowds cheered the incumbent as he made his way into the polling station in the Uskudar neighbourhood, Al Jazeera reported.

He said that he expected participation to remain high in the second round, urging voters to "turn out without complacency."

"I pray to God, that it (the election) will be beneficial for our country and nation," he said.

Ogan votes in Ankara

Sinan Ogan, who came third in the first-round vote, has voted at Kocatepe Mimar Kemal Anadolu High School in the capital, Ankara.

The nationalist politician, who eventually endorsed Erdogan, was dubbed “kingmaker” for his potential to influence the second-round vote.

47,523 new voters came of age between first and second round

An additional 47,523 people, who had their 18th birthdays between May 14 and 28, are eligible to vote in the second round.

“There are 60 million voters in Turkey. They were joined by more than 47,000 new voters from the last round because they turned 18,” Al Jazeera reported.

Anti-refugee posters dot Istanbul streets ahead of run-off

A large number of campaign posters have appeared on the streets of Istanbul, showing opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu with a simple message: “Syrians will go back!”

Kilicdaroglu has threatened to send millions of Syrian refugees back to a war zone, an objective that would face strong opposition in the face of international law.

During his campaign, Kilicdaroglu accused Erdogan’s government of allowing “ten million” refugees into the country, sharply inflating official estimates of Turkey’s refugee population.

Presidential run-off begins without violations: justice minister

"I cast my vote for a stable, peaceful future for our country. According to the information received so far, no negative situation has been registered since the beginning of voting, I expect high activity," Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said.

Polling stations officially open across Turkey

Voting began at 8:00 am (05:00 GMT) and will close at 5:00 pm.

More than 64 million Turks are eligible to cast ballots at nearly 192,000 polling stations, including more than six million who were first-time voters on May 14.

The outcome is expected to start becoming clear by early evening.