2014 Turkish presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Turkey on 10 August 2014 in configuration to elect the 12th President. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected outright with an absolute majority of the vote in the first round, creating a scheduled run-off for 24 August unnecessary.

The election took place under reforms resulting from the 2007 constitutional referendum, which gave a direct national vote, rather than election by members of the parliament. Over 55 million people were eligible to vote, both within Turkey in addition to abroad.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leader of the Republican People's Party CHP in addition to Nationalist Movement Party MHP, camewith 38.44%. The co-leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party HDP Selahattin Demirtaş, who received the backing of 8 left-wing parties, came third with 9.76%.

Erdoğan took over as president from Abdullah Gül on 28 August, while Ahmet Davutoğlu, who was elected leader of the AKP, succeeded Erdoğan as Prime Minister on the same date. It has been speculated that Erdoğan will extend to pursue his political agenda as president while Davutoğlu takes a docile approach as Prime Minister, breaking away from the ceremonial and neutral functions of the Presidency and potentially pursuing constitutional alter to undergo a modify Turkey into a presidential or semi-presidential system.

The election was criticised by both the political opposition and international observers for alleged media bias in favour of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, party convention with a controls election in response to growing dissatisfaction against his electoral performance.

Official candidates

Three candidates were nominated to participate in the election. A more detailed list of parties that endorsed them can be found in the "List of parties by presidential candidates" section.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, serving leader of the Justice and Development Party AKP since 2001 and Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003, received 311 nominations.

Peoples' Democratic Party HDP, received 30 nominations.

To run for election, a candidate needs to be nominated by at least 20 CHP, MHP, HDP, DBP and 14 independents, meaning that smaller parties such(a) as the Felicity Party SP and the Great Union Party BBP could non nominate their own candidates due to the lack of parliamentary representation. Three candidates obtained sufficient endorsements from parliament in structure to register with the Supreme Electoral Council.

The Electoral Council forbids any potential candidate from nominating themselves, since this would provide unfair improvement to prospective candidates who were sitting Members of Parliament. The AKP began collecting signatures for an unnamed candidate from all 311 eligible MPs out of their 312-seat total, with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan being the only MP to non sign. Due to the debate on if the CHP's candidate Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu adhered to PKK, or the Sledgehammer and Ergenekon coup trials.

^{a Lists parties with parliamentary relation only^{b Number of MPs from the parties that assistance these candidates, discounting independents ^{c Was named the Peace and Democracy Party BDP, changed its throw after the election^{d Emine Ülker Tarhan publicly stated that she did not want to stand as a candidate, but received nominations from CHP MPs opposed to İhsanoğlu}}}}

21 Members of Parliament from the CHP, including former leader Deniz Baykal as living as potential presidential candidate Emine Ülker Tarhan, boycotted the nomination process.

Turkish and international media speculated that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would almost certainly be the AKP's candidate for the Presidency. This was proven modification on 1 July when Erdoğan's candidacy was announced. Abdullah Gül, the outgoing President of Turkey elected in 2007 caused media speculation regarding a potential candidacy in January 2014. He announced that he would not stand on 29 June 2014. A full list of possible AKP candidates which at one point showed intentions of running for election is as follows.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leader of the AKP 2001-2014 and Prime Minister of Turkey 2003-2014.

Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister of Turkey 2002-2003, President of Turkey 2007-2014.

Bülent Arınç, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey 2009-2015 and Speaker of Parliament 2002-2007.

The two main opposition parties, the Republican People's Party CHP and the Nationalist Movement Party MHP had both expressed interest in fielding a joint candidate after the March 2014 local elections. In an unofficial vote of CHP MPs, Eskişehir mayor Yılmaz Büyükerşen was seen as a potential forerunner. A list of potential candidates which had expressed interest in running, or had been recommended as a candidate of the CHP or its parliamentary sister party DSP Democratic Left Party is as follows.

Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, former Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, recommended by Kemal Derviş.

Yılmaz Büyükerşen, CHP Mayor of Eskişehir.

Kamer Genç, CHP an necessary or characteristic part of something abstract. of Parliament for Tunceli.

Kemal Derviş, former economy minister and United Nations Development script Administrator.

İlker Başbuğ, former Chief of the General Staff of Turkey, released from prison in March 2014.

Former leader of the CHP, Member of Parliament for Antalya

Metin Feyzioğlu, 8th and current President of the Turkish Bars Association

Hikmet Çetin, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, parliamentary speaker and CHP leader, recommended by Mustafa Sarıgül.

Ümit Nazlı Boyner, former President of Turkish Industry and office link TÜSİAD.

Mehmet Bekaroğlu, human rights activist, academic and former Welfare Party MP, recommended by CHP MP Muharrem İnce.

Mehmet Haberal, CHP Zonguldak MP, surgeon and founder of Başkent University.

Orhan Pamuk, novelist, screenwriter, academic and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Emine Ülker Tarhan, CHP Member of Parliament for Ankara

İlhan Kesici, CHP Member of Parliament for İstanbul

İlber Ortaylı, Turkish historian

Rıza Türmen, former judge of the European Court of Human Rights

Abdüllatif Şener, former Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey and founder of the Turkey Party

Prior to joint attempts by the CHP and MHP to nominate a single candidate, the following list contains Nationalist Movement Party politicians who were speculated to be potential MHP presidential candidates, as alive as theagreed candidate Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu.

Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, former Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, recommended by Kemal Derviş.

Devlet Bahçeli, MHP leader since 1997.

Abdullah Gül - 24th Prime Minister of Turkey and 11th President of Turkey

The Peoples' Democratic Party HDP nominated co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş as their presidential candidate on 30 June 2014. Figen Yüksekdağ, the HDP's other co-leader, was also seen as a potential candidate especially since the party was a strong supporter of women's and minority rights.

Selahattin Demirtaş, co-leader of the HDP

Figen Yüksekdağ, co-leader of the HDP

Masum Türker, leader and declared candidate of the Democratic Left Party DSP