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| Turkey's President Erdogan back on campaign trail after illness | Turkey's President Erdogan back on campaign trail after illness |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President Erdogan had been absent from campaigning since being taken ill during a live TV broadcast on Tuesday | |
| President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reappeared on the campaign trail in western Turkey on Saturday in the flesh, and in thundering form. | |
| He arrived in the port city of Izmir to a sea of flags, and a large crowd that had been waiting hours under a hot sun. It was a strong turnout in an opposition stronghold. | He arrived in the port city of Izmir to a sea of flags, and a large crowd that had been waiting hours under a hot sun. It was a strong turnout in an opposition stronghold. |
| There was no sign of the illness which caused him to drop out of key events for three days this week - just a fortnight ahead of critical elections. The polls - for the presidency and parliament - will be his toughest challenge yet, after twenty years in power. | There was no sign of the illness which caused him to drop out of key events for three days this week - just a fortnight ahead of critical elections. The polls - for the presidency and parliament - will be his toughest challenge yet, after twenty years in power. |
| The president spoke for almost 40 minutes, in a strong voice, mocking the opposition, raising the spectre of "terrorism", and saying only he could deliver growth for Turkey. It was a combative performance which will have reassured his supporters and may have worried his detractors. | The president spoke for almost 40 minutes, in a strong voice, mocking the opposition, raising the spectre of "terrorism", and saying only he could deliver growth for Turkey. It was a combative performance which will have reassured his supporters and may have worried his detractors. |
| And it was vintage Erdogan. | And it was vintage Erdogan. |
| Many women were present at the rally, which was segregated | Many women were present at the rally, which was segregated |
| His main rival for the presidency, Kemal Kilicdaroglu - a secular candidate backed by an alliance of six parties - will hold a rally in the same spot on Sunday. Opinion polls give a slight lead to Mr Kilicdaroglu - a softly spoken former civil servant - but the election could well be a photo finish. | His main rival for the presidency, Kemal Kilicdaroglu - a secular candidate backed by an alliance of six parties - will hold a rally in the same spot on Sunday. Opinion polls give a slight lead to Mr Kilicdaroglu - a softly spoken former civil servant - but the election could well be a photo finish. |
| The Turkish leader, who is 69, startled TV viewers on Tuesday night when he became unwell during a live broadcast, which had to be halted. He blamed it on a stomach bug. | The Turkish leader, who is 69, startled TV viewers on Tuesday night when he became unwell during a live broadcast, which had to be halted. He blamed it on a stomach bug. |
| "When I heard the news about his health, I asked God to give me his illness," said Gurbet Dostum, a 42-year-old Mother of two. "I am ready to be in pain for him. He gives us everything." | "When I heard the news about his health, I asked God to give me his illness," said Gurbet Dostum, a 42-year-old Mother of two. "I am ready to be in pain for him. He gives us everything." |
| But many here have less and less, due to rampant inflation which is officially around 50%. Experts have blamed the President's unorthodox economic policies, but not Gurbet. She said those who complained were "greedy and ungrateful and just wanted more and more". | But many here have less and less, due to rampant inflation which is officially around 50%. Experts have blamed the President's unorthodox economic policies, but not Gurbet. She said those who complained were "greedy and ungrateful and just wanted more and more". |
| Like many women at the rally - which was segregated - she was wearing a headscarf. The president's bedrock is religious conservatives, but there were secular supporters there too. | Like many women at the rally - which was segregated - she was wearing a headscarf. The president's bedrock is religious conservatives, but there were secular supporters there too. |
| "He changed the country," said Guldana, a 57-year-old with a diamond in her tooth. "Before him Turkey was a village." | "He changed the country," said Guldana, a 57-year-old with a diamond in her tooth. "Before him Turkey was a village." |
| Religious conservatives are the bedrock of Erdogan's support - but there were secular supporters in the crowd too | Religious conservatives are the bedrock of Erdogan's support - but there were secular supporters in the crowd too |
| An unemployed young woman called Ayse said she would vote for Erdogan for love of her country. "He will make us rise, and get stronger," she said. | An unemployed young woman called Ayse said she would vote for Erdogan for love of her country. "He will make us rise, and get stronger," she said. |
| Those who back the president want him to extend his long rule and continue with his vision for Turkey. Many Turks want just the opposite. The electorate - like the country - is divided. | Those who back the president want him to extend his long rule and continue with his vision for Turkey. Many Turks want just the opposite. The electorate - like the country - is divided. |
| Some of those who had waited hours for the president to arrive drifted away while he was still speaking. | Some of those who had waited hours for the president to arrive drifted away while he was still speaking. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Recep Tayyip Erdogan |