Campaigning in Turkey’s pivotal elections nearing end

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish politicians are holding final rallies on the last hours of campaigning before Sunday’s pivotal presidential and parliamentary elections that would significantly shape the NATO member’s future. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing the toughest challenge ever in his two decades of power in Saturday’s election. He was speaking at neighborhood rallies in Istanbul. His challenger is Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the pro-secular, center-left Republican People’s Party who is the joint candidate of six opposition parties. He held his final rally in capital Ankara Friday under pouring rain. Campaigning officially comes to a close on Saturday evening.