Kılıçdaroğlu Criticizes the Presence of 10 Million 'Illegal Migrants' in Turkey

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Wednesday accused the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of allowing 10 million 'illegal' migrants to enter Turkey. Reuters reports that Kılıçdaroğlu's remarks reflect his nationalist shift ahead of the second round of voting on May 28. In a video posted on Twitter, Kılıçdaroğlu, Erdoğan's rival in the Turkish presidential elections, stated: 'We will not surrender our homeland to the mindset that allowed 10 million illegal migrants among us.' He warned that the number of migrants could reach 30 million and urged 'those who love their homeland' to come out and vote in the second round of elections. Kılıçdaroğlu, the candidate of a coalition of six opposition parties, fell behind Erdoğan in the first round of the presidential elections held on Sunday and failed to meet expectations of surpassing Erdoğan. Kılıçdaroğlu's statements come after his party announced it had filed complaints regarding 'suspicious irregularities' in thousands of ballot boxes during the historic elections on Sunday. Following the parliamentary elections, Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party, along with its nationalist allies, secured a majority, but in the presidential voting, Erdoğan did not reach the minimum 50% required for a complete victory. Consequently, the presidential election has gone to a second round. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People's Party, garnered 44.8% of the votes, marking the biggest electoral challenge to Erdoğan's 20-year rule. The Turkish elections have gone to a second round, and Kılıçdaroğlu states that the fight is still ongoing. 'Irregularities' in the ballot boxes; Erdoğan's rival: 'We have 12 days to exit this dark tunnel.' Disappointment among Kılıçdaroğlu's supporters: 'I wish I had been born in another country.' The Turkish elections 'will likely' go to a second round.