Turkey: Erdogan falls ill on TV, cancels election rallies

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly suspended election campaigning after falling unwell during a live TV interview, which was unexpectedly cut short.

He returned after a 20-minute break to declare he had “serious stomach flu” after two days of heavy campaigning.

Erdogan, 69, is facing his most difficult election campaign so far.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the major opposition leader, has been picked to run for a coalition of six political groups.

He was one of several opposition figures that wished the president a swift recovery.

On Thursday, health minister Fahrettin Koca stated that the president’s health was OK and that he had “infectious gastroenteritis.” He stated that he will resume his regularly planned daily activities as soon as possible.

According to the most recent surveys, the presidential election will be a tight one, with Kilicdaroglu having a decent chance of winning.

The first round is scheduled for May 14, with a possible presidential run-off two weeks later.