Turkey votes in 'crucial' election to decide nation's future

Turks have begun voting in a crucial general election that will determine if the ruling party can amend the constitution and transfer the prime minister's executive powers to the president.

Through the election, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking a big enough mandate to turn the country into a presidential republic, reported the BBC.

Polling booths opened on Sunday morning with 53.7 million voters eligible to cast ballots until 6 p.m. across Turkey's 81 provinces. Results are expected to be announced later in the day.

The high-stakes election is being read as a litmus test for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which swept to power in 2002.

The election is expected to chart the future of the USD 800 billion economy, which has been facing numerous challenges, including security risks stemming from the unrest at home and the ongoing conflicts in neighbouring Iraq and Syria.