ISTANBUL — Surrounded by the pageantry of his party, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took to the stage of the Ankara Sports Hall on Tuesday to unveil candidates and a manifesto for next month’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Erdogan, who is seeking his third presidential term on May 14, stepped out with his wife Emine onto a stage backed by a dazzling display of blue LEDs and spotlights. The lightbulb symbol of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) and stylized crescent-and-star logos declaring the “Century of Turkey” flanked the podium.
