“How can a person who cannot gather even his allies around the same table represent Turkey?” he asked, referring to his main rival, Kemal Kilicdarogluhead of the six-party National Alliance.

At the same time, he accused the opposition of being dependent on the imperialists and IMF and declared that his party bowed to no one. “We bow only to Allah,” he said.

However, in an attempt to showcase big economic plans, Erdogan yesterday opened a new investment center in Istanbul, promising a “new financial ecosystem.” Publications in the (opposition) press indicated that attendance at the inauguration was limited.

Meanwhile, Kılıçdaroglu is slightly ahead of the Turkish president: 47.8% against 43.4% for Erdogan. A third candidate, Muharrem Indze, who garnered just under 3.5%, is effectively undermining the opposition’s united front victory prospects, according to a poll conducted by Mak ahead of the May election.

The Kurdish vote will be decisive in this struggle, and it is no coincidence that Kılıçdaroğlu defended the rights of the Kurdish minority and the common fate of Turks and Kurds yesterday.

In particular, he condemned social media trolls attacking the opposition’s collaboration with the pro-Kurdish HDP: “As soon as it is understood in the presidential palace that they will lose the elections, accusations begin against the Kurds and they are treated as terrorists. It’s a shame, a real shame.”

If a runoff is held on May 28, up to 50,000 young voters who turn 18 are expected to vote.

According to yesterday’s poll in the state of Sabah, the most likely scenario in the event of a runoff is a marginal victory for Erdogan with undecided and frustrated voters from other parties as moderators.