Millions of Turkish voters on Sunday headed to the polls across the country for the nation's first-ever presidential runoff, including political figures who urged everyone to cast their votes.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan voted at the Saffet Çebi Middle School in the Üsküdar district of Istanbul, where the president received a lot of attention. First lady Emine Erdoğan also cast her vote alongside the president.
"We are witnessing a two-round election for the first time," Erdoğan said as he urged everyone to vote.
Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairperson and presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu cast his vote at the Arjantin Primary School in Ankara.
"We will win, you will see, I trust the will of the public," Kılıçdaroğlu said.
Kılıçdaroğlu was greeted by many supporters outside the school.
Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu voted for the presidential elections at Dobruca Middle School in Istanbul's Gaziosmanpaşa district alongside his wife Hamdiye Soylu.
"We have 601,251 personnel, police, gendarmerie, coast guard and security guards on duty for this election," Soylu said.
Soylu said that Türkiye exhibited democratic maturity and how elections should be to the world.
Good Party (IP) Chairperson Meral Akşener – part of the Nation Alliance, supporting candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu – voted in Istanbul's Üsküdar district.
Akşener, who voted in the Hacı Sabancı High School, spoke with reporters afterward. Akşener stated she voted in the second round of the election that held significant importance for the youth.
Akşener said she would follow the results in Ankara.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli – part of the People's Alliance supporting President Erdoğan – cast his vote in the Anıttepe Middle School in Ankara.
"We will have completed the first election of the new century (of the republic)," Bahçeli said as he praised the democratic maturity of the Turkish nation.
