Turkish nationalist politician Sinan Ogan, who won 5.2% of votes in the first round of the recent presidential election, is set to announce whether he will throw his support behind President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sunday’s runoff.
(Bloomberg) — Turkish nationalist politician Sinan Ogan, who won 5.2% of votes in the first round of the recent presidential election, is set to announce whether he will throw his support behind President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sunday’s runoff.
Erdogan secured 49.5% of votes in the initial ballot, just shy of the 50% threshold required to secure an outright win. Opposition challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu drew 45%. There is no threshold in the second round so whoever gets the most votes wins.
As Erdogan has a comfortable lead, a potential endorsement from Ogan could boost his chances of reelection and extend a near two-decade rule. If Ogan backs the opposition candidate, however, it still may not be enough to tip the scales.
Ogan said on Twitter Sunday that he would prioritize stability. He’s also made it clear that he’d want a government position or the vice presidency in return for endorsement, which makes Erdogan a safer bet.
“If the election goes to the second round, we will not sit at the table for free,” Ogan said in an interview posted on social media before the May 14 vote.
Ogan is a little-known figure backed by a small anti-immigration party that lacks the organizational clout to corral followers, who could end up voting in different directions.
The 55-year-old visited Erdogan in Istanbul Friday. His ally, Umit Ozdag, leader of the Zafer Party, met Kilicdaroglu in Ankara the same day.
Both candidates have sought to sway Ogan’s swing voters by reinforcing their nationalist credentials.
The pro-Erdogan Daily Sabah wrote on May 19 that the government and Ogan see eye to eye on key policies including the need to take a hard line on Kurdish separatists.
Kilicdaroglu has vowed to expel all refugees, including Syrians, from Turkey in a bid to lure support from Ozdag, who made anti-immigration policies the centerpiece of his party’s election campaign.
Both Ogan and Ozdag declined to comment when separately reached by Bloomberg by phone on Monday.
Ogan is due to announce his decision at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT)
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