Members of the Turkish opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), along with other supporters, are heading to polling stations on Sunday to participate in a primary election aimed at endorsing detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as the candidate for the upcoming presidential election.
In light of Imamoglu’s detention on charges that include corruption and supporting a terrorist organization, the CHP has encouraged non-party members to cast their votes to strengthen public opposition. Imamoglu has denied all allegations against him.
The CHP, which boasts over 1.5 million members, has established 5,600 ballot boxes for voting throughout Turkey’s 81 provinces. Polling will conclude at 1400 GMT.
The next presidential election is set to take place in 2028.