He's someone who is quite an unlikely leader in many ways. His six-party opposition coalition are promising, fundamentally, a return to parliamentary democracy. MICHAELSON: Kilicdaroglu has campaigned under the slogan that spring will come again, and so he is really leaning into this idea that it is about complete change. Could you tell us about Erdogan's opponent's background and what his opponent's central message has been during his campaign? PFEIFFER: When we talk about democracy, of course, Erdogan has been shifting his country away from democratic ideals. And this is an example, in her words, of an authoritarian regime being taken out by the democratic process. She said, you know, I believe that this election will set an example not just for Turkey but for the whole world. This is Canan Kaftancioglu of the Republican People's Party, and she spelled it out in no uncertain terms. I was speaking to a leading member of Turkey's opposition party a couple of days ago. RUTH MICHAELSON: This is an election where Turkish democracy is on the line, and the choice for voters at the ballot box is very stark. And when we spoke, she explained why this election is so crucial. She's a reporter with The Guardian based in Istanbul. For more on this, we called Ruth Michaelson. It's also a country plagued by serious problems, including a struggling economy and a devastating earthquake in February.
It's a member of the powerful NATO alliance and a key ally of the U.S. That's because Turkey is a very important country. He's facing stiff competition from his opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, and analysts say this is the biggest test of Erdogan's grip on Turkish politics with high stakes. Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been at the center of Turkish politics for the last 20 years, but that could change after Sunday's general election.
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