LACK OF EQUAL CONDITIONS AT ELECTION: OSCE

International observers on Monday said voters enjoyed a genuine choice in Turkey’s twin presidential and parliamentary elections but denounced the lack of “equal” conditions for candidates to campaign.

“Voters had a genuine choice despite the lack of conditions for contestants to compete on an equal basis,” the joint mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said.

The mission found polling day procedures were “generally followed”, but pointed to issues over counting and tabulation during which “legally prescribed steps were often omitted”.

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe also said in a statement that in 10 percent of its observations, ballot box committees did not stamp the ballots.

However, the mission said voters had a genuine choice during what was a “vibrant” campaign in “a highly polarised political environment”.

Five candidates ran against Erdogan including the proKurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) jailed ex-leader Selahattin Demirtas. The OSCE noted there had been attacks and disruption, mainly against the HDP. The observers referred to Erdogan and the AKP’s “notable advantage”, saying it was reflected in “excessive” coverage by state and private media.