The European Union is meticulously watching Sunday's elections in Türkiye, which is a "key partner" of the bloc, an EU official said on Thursday.
"Türkiye is a key partner for the European Union in many different aspects, and we are following the electoral cycle in the country and the upcoming vote very closely," Peter Stano, the lead spokesperson on foreign policy, said at the European Commission's daily news briefing.
He asserted that the EU hopes the elections would be "transparent and inclusive."
The bloc also expects the vote to be "conducted in line with the democratic standards Türkiye is committed to," including media plurality and "fair treatment of all political parties and candidates," Stano added.
Turkish officials expressed concerns about prejudice and the pro-PKK stance of some EU lawmakers, who will observe the elections on behalf of the Council of Europe.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will deploy staff to observe the election.
In Türkiye, polls will take place on Sunday, May 14. On the presidential ballot, voters will choose between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is seeking reelection, main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, and Sinan Oğan.
Meanwhile, 24 political parties and 151 independent candidates will be vying for seats in the 600-member Turkish Parliament.
