From our special correspondents in Iskenderun, Turkey – With just two days to go ahead of Turkey’s high-stakes presidential and parliamentary elections, the country is at a crossroads. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking an unprecedented third term in power but is facing a serious challenge in the shape of Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a member of the Muslim Alevi minority that has long faced discrimination and is yearning for change.
The opposition candidate’s faith and origins have been major talking points during the campaign – an unthinkable prospect in past decades, when Alevis faced significant discrimination and even persecution. His promise to build a more inclusive nation has resonated with a community that feels abandoned by the state and has tired of Erdogan's 20-year rule.
