Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has canceled several election dates due to health problems. According to reports, Erdogan was taken to a hospital. Doctors are said to have called his family to the hospital, according to multiple reports on social media. There is no official confirmation of this.
Turkish President in hospital: Several events canceled
The AFP news agency, citing the Turkish government, only reports that another campaign day has been canceled. Just a few hours ago, Erdogan announced on Twitter that he would “rest at home on the advice of our doctors”. He spoke of an upset stomach.
The Turkish president actually wanted to take part in the inauguration of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant on the south coast of the country next Thursday. The appointment, which has since been cancelled, was considered one of his most important campaign appearances that week.
Meanwhile, Turkish journalist İsmail Saymaz announced that the planned joint TV show with Erdogan was also canceled. It was originally scheduled to air Thursday night on Euro D, ATV Europe, NTV Europe and TRT World.
Erdogan had to break off a live interview on TV
The election campaign is currently a neck-and-neck race between Erdogan and opposition candidate Kemal Kiliçdaroglu. Erdogan had planned three campaign appearances in Anatolia for Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Turkish President had to interrupt a live interview on television. The program started 90 minutes late and was then interrupted by an advertisement after 10 minutes in the middle of a question. Before the transmission ended, the camera shook and the interviewer abruptly got up from his chair. A voice can be heard from the off saying “Oh, wow”.
Erdogan returned about a quarter of an hour later and apologized. “Yesterday and today were hard work. That’s why I got a stomach flu,” he said. The politician looked pale and ended the interview a little later.
Opposition leader Kiliçdaroglu was among the first to wish Erdogan a speedy recovery. “I bring my best wishes to Mr. Erdogan,” he wrote on Twitter moments after the interview aired.
