Turkey's main opposition leader has called on citizens to ensure they vote in the country's upcoming presidential elections.
Republican People's Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said at a party group meeting on Tuesday that the election was not a race between parties, but rather a way of defining Turkey's future.
He said: "If we consider Turkey's future, we have to go to polls ... (and) everyone has to go to the polls to fulfill their civic duty".
Referring to current Prime Minister Erdogan, the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party candidate, Kilicdaroglu said that a "dirty person" cannot be president.
- 'Impartial candidate'
The Republican People’s Party and the Nationalist Movement Party have named Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the 71-year-old former head of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, as their joint candidate for the election.
Kilicdaroglu emphasized that Ihsanoglu was an impartial and intellectual candidate, who did not belong to any party.
"If Ihsanoglu wins, then the supremacy of law, the parliamentary system and Turkey will win," added Kilicdaroglu.
The Peoples' Democracy Party has nominated its co-chairman, Selahattin Demirtas, 41, for the presidential race.
- Direct vote
Turkish citizens go to the polls on 10 August to vote for the 12th president of the Republic of Turkey - the first time the country's president will be elected by direct popular vote.
The presidential post has previously been elected by assembly lawmakers.
The public campaign for the position will continue up until 9 August.
Should none of the candidates take more than 50 per cent of the votes, a second round will take place on 24 August.
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