Turkey's Future Hangs in the Balance as Erdogan Faces Critical Election.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces a tough challenge in the upcoming elections as his country is mired in an economic crisis and his government faces criticism for its slow response to the massive damage from earthquakes in February. Polls show a tight race between Erdogan and his main challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Erdogan has dominated Turkish politics for the past two decades, but his grip on power has weakened the country's democracy. Kilicdaroglu's campaign indicates he would try to bring Turkey closer to the West politically, economically and culturally, and restart attempts to join the European Union that lost steam under Erdogan years ago.