Yahoo News Voting closes for Turks living abroad ahead of Sunday's election runoff
The final ballots from Turkish voters abroad were being sealed and sent from Turkish embassies and consulates worldwide on Tuesday as Ankara gears up for the second round of its presidential elections scheduled for next Sunday.
Some 3.4 million Turks living abroad, or 5% of total votes, were eligible to vote in the runoff between incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition coalition leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
In the first round, over 1.7 million voters cast their ballots. Experts say these votes from the Turkish diaspora could prove decisive in determining the victor in the second round.
In Italy, the ballot boxes have been closed and sealed. Turks in Italy were able to vote on 20, 21, and 22 May at the Embassy in Rome and at the Consulate General in Milan.
In Spain, the ballot papers from Madrid and Barcelona were flown to Turkey by Turkish Airlines scheduled flights accompanied by diplomatic couriers on Tuesday morning.
Germany is home to the most significant Turkish diaspora. More than 1.5 million people are eligible to vote in the elections.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently the frontrunner, having secured 49.5% of the votes on the 14th of May, a cushion of almost five points over the leader of the opposition coalition Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Erdogan received the backing of nationalist Sinan Ogan on Monday, who garnered 5% of the votes in round one.
