During a visit tied to the second round of Turkey’s presidential election, the country’s incumbent leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, distributed funds to young people in Istanbul. The moment occurred as he cast his vote in a polling station located in the city’s second round precincts, an event watched closely by supporters gathered nearby. Eyewitness accounts indicate Erdogan held several 200-lira notes, a personal gesture that drew attention amid a larger political moment unfolding in the metropolis.
The president’s path that day led him to the Saffet Cebi High School in the Üsküdar district on the Asian side of Istanbul. He spent roughly an hour at the construction site, where police presence was stepped up to maintain order and to ensure the routine flow of voters remained uninterrupted. The surrounding area was kept secure, with residents and onlookers organized along the barriers as chants in support of Erdogan rose from the crowd. The scene reflected a citywide spotlight on leadership during a highly contested electoral phase, with demonstrations of public backing interwoven with the formal voting process.
Meanwhile, authorities reported a security response to online activity tied to the election. The former Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office noted that several individuals were detained due to provocative messages circulating on social networks in the wake of the second round. The steps taken were presented as part of ongoing efforts to preserve calm, prevent misinformation, and ensure the integrity of the vote in a climate already charged with political emotion.
Observations from electoral authorities emphasized that the second round proceeded without notable incident. The presidency’s election commission chairperson highlighted the streamlined process and cited expectations that the tabulation of results might proceed more quickly than in the first round, which occurred on 14 May. The comment underscored a sense of procedural efficiency as the country moved through the final phase of the race. The commission’s remarks stressed confidence in the voting infrastructure and the machinery tasked with counting ballots across diverse regions.
As the second round of Turkey’s presidential elections began on the morning of 28 May, voters faced a clear choice between the incumbent Erdogan and the opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The day’s activities illustrated how political campaigns, security measures, and citizen participation intersect at a moment of national importance, shaping the public perception of leadership and the country’s direction in the weeks that followed the initial ballot. Political observers noted the atmosphere in major cities and provincial hubs alike, recognizing that the outcome would carry implications beyond Istanbul, influencing policy debate, regional relations, and the broader political landscape of Turkey.