On poll eve, Erdogan to emulate historical ritual of Ottoman Sultans: lead prayers at Hagia Sophia

Ahead of Sunday's vote that decides if he will stay in power, Turkish incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will lead the Saturday prayers at Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia mosque. According to the news agency AFP, the leader will emulate a historical ritual that the Ottoman Sultans performed before they led their men off to war. The ritual will take place just a day before the contentious leader braces for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential ballot opposite an "energised or united opposition".

The importance of Hagia Sophia

Once the world's largest Byzantine cathedral, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque by the Ottomans but became a museum after the establishment of a secular Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923.

In 2020, Erdogan's decision to convert the museum back into a mosque helped solidify his status as a hero among his religious supporters.

However, the decision also contributed to growing concerns from the Western world about his leadership.

During a rally in Istanbul on Saturday, Erdogan boasted, "The entire West got mad - but I did it."

His statement highlights his focus on religious themes and cultural conflicts, which he has previously used to galvanise his conservative and nationalist base.

Nevertheless, the 69-year as per AFP has never "faced a more energised or united opposition".

Erdogan's opposition

Leading the opposition against the Turkish leader is retired civil servant Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who has set up an alliance of six parties. Putting aside their political and cultural differences, these six parties have reportedly joined forces for the "lone task" of pushing Erdogan out.

They also have the official backing of Turkey's primary pro-Kurdish party, which represents around10 per cent of the total votes.

Will Erdogan win?

In the past, Erdogan has proven his might. Over the course of 21 years, the Turkish leader has demonstrated exceptional skill in dividing his opponents and forming unlikely alliances, a skill which, as per AFP, has helped him win numerous national elections.

However, this time the math is not in his favour. Recent polls show that the secular opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu is edging ahead of Erdogan in Sunday's presidential ballot.

They reportedly show challenger Kilicdaroglu possessing a slight advantage and close to breaking the 50-per cent threshold needed to avoid a runoff on May 28.

Speaking at a rally in Ankara, the opposition leader said: "Are you ready to bring democracy to this country? To bring peace to this country? I promise, I am ready too."