ALBAWABA - Social media activists circulated a video of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which he appeared distributing money to children who gathered around him during the electoral process.
Turkish media outlets reported that Erdogan distributed gifts and toys to children, and gave others 200 Turkish lira ($10) , after casting his vote inside a polling station in a school in Istanbul. The children appeared in the video kissing his hand after receiving the money.
Sources suggested that this is not the first time that Erdogan has offered money to people.
Another video which had been already circulated in April showed the rival president in the 2023 Turkish elections distributing money among a crowd of people in the Turkish region of Bagcilar.
Bağcılar'da çocuklara para veren Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan, elindeki paraya uzanan kişiye böyle yanıt verdi: "Dur. Ayıp ayıp." pic.twitter.com/RON0GggffA
— FLASH HABER TV (@flashhabertvcom) April 3, 2023
Erdogan's behavior was well received among social media's activists, especially since children cannot participate in the elections, so this would not be considered 'bribery'.
On Sunday, voters participated in casting their votes, to elect the thirteenth president of the republic and parliament, at exactly eight o'clock in the morning, Turkish time, in Ankara and Istanbul, and the polling stations closed their doors at five o'clock.
