Erdogan’s fate hangs in balance as Turkish election heads for runoff

After two decades as president, Recep Erdogan is fighting for his life against his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu after his 49.6 share of the vote in Turkey’s election fell just short of the 50pc threshold for a runoff on May 28.  Kilicdaroglu garnered 44.99pc.  Both rivals are courting the righting ATA Alliance leader Sinan Ogan, a newcomer, for either one to tip the scales and resolve the fate of this key NATO ally.

Popular resentment of Erdogan’s failure, despite his strongman tactics,  to lift the economy out of crisis and his handling of the devastating Feb 6 earthquake,  cost him a majority of the votes in the big cities of Istanbul and Ankara.