Erdogan in Turkey cancels appearances on the third day of the election

 


Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan postponed his election appearances for a third day after being unwell with an intestinal ailment, according to officials.

In the Turkish presidential elections on May 14, Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for the last 20 years as prime minister and subsequently president, is running for a third term. In the southern city of Adana, he was scheduled to attend a political rally and a bridge opening, but his plans modified so that he would watch the opening ceremony online.

Erdogan and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke over the phone on Friday on a number of topics, including the grain and fertiliser deal they helped set up between Ukraine and Russia. According to him, they talked about "how to guarantee the improvement, expansion, and extension" of the contract, which is set to expire on May 18.

Erdogan fell unwell on air on Tuesday night with what the health minister, Fahrettin Koca, eventually diagnosed as a "gastrointestinal infection." His Wednesday and Thursday electoral rallies were postponed.

In his first public appearance since his sickness, he opened a nuclear power facility via video on Thursday. He seemed pale. Erdogan appeared to be in good health as he talked for almost 10 minutes from a desk during his Friday video address.

Ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections, other officials made an effort to allay worries about the 69-year-old leader's health. Recent surveys indicated a tiny advantage for Erdogan's major rival despite the economic slump and the earthquake in February that claimed more than 50,000 lives.


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