Kemal Kilicdaroglu will take on President Tayyip Erdogan in May 14 elections.
A cost-of-living crisis amid rampant inflation and years of economic turmoil have eroded Erdogan's support, giving Kilicdaroglu another advantage.
His nomination comes a month after two huge earthquakes left Turkey's southeast in ruins, and unleashed a wave of criticism of government over the poor disaster response and years ofInitial polls since the quakes had suggested that Erdogan was able to largely retain his support despite the disaster. But the emergence of a united opposition, even after a delay in picking its candidate, could prove a bigger challenge for the strongman, analysts say.
But Kilicdaroglu has struggled to maintain momentum. Recent polling showed Erdogan's support had edged up since last summer thanks to measures including a raise in the minimum wage. At that party convention, a campaign song blasted across a packed hall describing him as "a clean and honest" man.
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