Experts on presidential elections in Turkey

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is going to announce its presidential candidate by July 1st, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a cabinet meeting today.

"We have ten more days. I hope we will finish our discussion and announce the name of the candidate by July 1st," Erdogan is quoted as saying.

According to the head of the Middle East Strategic Research Centre, Dr. Shaban Kardash, the political debates in Turkey are very vehement now. Still, many people seem much less excited than others, he says.

At the same time it's clear that the elections will play a very important role in Turkish history, since the president's powers have been increased and he is now elected by popular vote.

The expert stresses that the prime minister has a high approval rating and has a good chance of winning the race if he takes part in the campaign.

Another expert, Associate Professor at the Ankara University of Technologies and Foreign Affairs, Togrul Ismail, believes that the population is paying great attention to the campaign.

According to him, the debates are very acute both within the ruling party and the opposition.

The expert adds that the majority of analysts think that the AKP will nominate Erdogan as its presidential candidate.

Ismail underlines that, even though Erdogan is a rather popular figure, it is not clear whether he will be able to win in the first round or not.