turkey

The first results are already in – from an election which will define Turkey’s future. While President Erdogan called today’s vote a “democratic revolution”, opposition leaders fear that if he stays in power, Turkish democracy will be dramatically eroded.

Now campaigning has officially ended ahead of tomorrow’s elections in Turkey – President Erdogan will have to win at least 50% of the vote to stay in power – or face a run off next month.

The Brexit campaign had its own Project Fear, of course – it was the prospect of Turkey joining the EU and millions of Turks freely coming to Britain. Turkey has had a huge refugee influx from Syria, immigration that has its own effect on politics there. This weekend, Turkey votes in an election that could…

President Erdogan is asked how he can claim Turkey’s elections will be free and fair.

The polls have closed in Northern Iraq, where Kurds today voted in an historic referendum on independence. The vote, which is non-binding, has been met with fierce opposition from Baghdad and its neighbours. President Erdogan of Turkey has threatened to cut off oil exports from the region.

Turkey is holding a series of events to mark the first anniversary of a failed coup, in which at least 260 people died. President Erdogan will unveil a memorial on Istanbul’s Bosphorous bridge, where protestors resisted the efforts of an army faction trying to drive the Government and the President from power. In the continuing…