Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would run in next year’s presidential vote and brushed aside rumours of a snap poll in the economically-battered nation. It was the first time that the strongman, who has been in power since 2003, officially announced his widely-expected candidacy. “Let me say it here. Tayyip Erdogan is the candidate of the People’s Alliance”, Erdogan told a party rally in the western city of Izmir, referring to an alliance between his ruling conservative AKP party and the right-wing MHP party. The opposition CHP party, the second largest in parliament, has not yet fielded a candidate and Erdogan tossed a challenge to its leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. – AFP
