Breakaway candidate could give Erdogan a lifeline in tight Turkey election

FILE PHOTO: Muharrem Ince, then-presidential candidate of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), holds a news conference to assess election results in Ankara, Turkey, June 25, 2018. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo

ANKARA (Reuters) - A second-time presidential candidate who lost out to Tayyip Erdogan in a 2018 vote could push Turkey's May election to a second round, potentially boosting the president's prospects of winning, according to analysts and polls.

Muharrem Ince, formerly of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), joined the fray last month and secured a spot on the ballot at the weekend, fuelling concerns among Erdogan's opponents about a split in the opposition vote.