Erdogan 'handed cash to voters at polling station'

A video has emerged online in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to hand out cash to voters at a polling station in Istanbul during Sunday’s run-off election . As voters surrounded the President some chant “Our president!” and “You’re so handsome!” In what has caused much online debate, Mr Erdogan is seen taking cash from the pocket of his jacket and handing a 200 lira ($10) banknote to a supporter. He then appears to take out more notes and hand them to other members of the crowd. Mr Erdogan has a tradition of handing out gifts on special occasions, such as money or toys, usually during the Muslim holidays of Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha. The video was widely shared online, with some users saying Mr Erdogan was just following the Middle East tradition of giving gifts to children at a happy time. "If you check the video it’s absolutely clear that Erdogan is lending pocket money only to kids," one Twitter user said. "There is nothing to hide there as that is an old tradition in many places. "Would you prefer that he lends big money to lobbies secretly like happens in most of the EU and US?" Others were a little more sceptical, with one Twitter user saying: "Erdogan hands out money to supporters outside a polling station. "Amazing that such a thing can happen just next to where ballots are cast. "The sign of a desperate man in my opinion." Mr Erdogan is unlikely to face questions as a recent change in the law has made campaign breaches more difficult to identify. International observers led by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe have yet to comment on the video, but said media bias and restrictions to freedom of expression had created “an unlevel playing field” and “an unjustified advantage” for him in the election. Some opposition supporters faced intimidation and harassment while both sides used “inflammatory and discriminatory language” by accusing each other of collaborating with “terrorist organisations”, exacerbating tensions, they added. Turkey's long-time leader won the presidency in a run-off election on Sunday, gaining 52.14 per cent of the votes, according the High Election Board. Mr Erdogan's rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu received 47.86 per cent of the votes . On Monday, the President confronted the tough task of uniting his divided country after extending his two-decade rule to 2028. He brushed aside a powerful opposition coalition, an economic crisis and anger after a devastating earthquake in February to beat secular challenger Mr Kilicdaroglu. But the four-point victory margin was Mr Erdogan's narrowest of any past election, highlighting the sharp polarisation the Islamic-rooted conservative will contend with in his final term. Mr Erdogan, 69, called on Turks to “come together in unity and solidarity”, while Mr Kilicdaroglu vowed to “continue the struggle” against the President and his AKP, which has dominated Turkish politics since 2002. Having harnessed a coalition of nationalist, conservative and religious voters, Mr Erdogan “will double down on his brand of populist policies … political polarisation is here to stay”, said Emre Peker of the Eurasia Group consultancy. Relieving Turks of the country's worst economic crisis since the 1990s is an urgent priority . Inflation is running at more than 40 per cent amid criticism of Mr Erdogan's unorthodox policy of cutting interest rates to try to cool rising prices. Analysts say Mr Erdogan's lavish campaign spending pledges and unwavering attachment to lower interest rates will further strain banks' currency reserves and the lira, which edged down against the dollar on Monday. Hopes for “an abandonment of the crazy, unconventional economic model and a return to the favour of international investors are finally dashed”, said Bartosz Sawicki, market analyst at fintech Conotoxia.

Erdogan 'handed cash to voters at polling station'

A video appears to show the President taking money out of his pocket and giving it to supporters