News Analysis: Turkey heads into elections decisive to future political landscape

As many as 20 political parties are going to compete for their share of the 550 seats in Turkey's Grand National Assembly as a new round of general election, which could well decide the political future of the country, is about to commence on Sunday.

The general public in the country believe the coming polls could be historic as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also AKP's former leader, are mulling to change the nation's parliamentary system to a presidential structure.

The parliamentary system has been with the country all along since the republic's establishment in 1924, while the presidency has always been a ceremonial post.

When Erdogan became president almost a year ago, he has decided to introduce necessary changes so that he could stay as powerful as before when he served as prime minister.

To bring about the political sea change, the AKP must have at least 330 seats in the parliament for either a constitution amendment or a referendum

However, the latest polls show that the AKP has lost the super majority in the legislature, and is only possible to get about 40 percent of the votes in the election, almost 10 percentage points down compared to the 2011 race.

Suleyman Sensoy, head of Turkish Asian Center for Research (TASAM), even if AKP could secure enough ballots to establish a one-party government, the number of its MPs would do down significantly.

Also according to recent surveys, two opposition parties, the center-left opposition People's Republican Party's (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) would expect growing voters' endorsement.

The latest survey of Konda poll suggests that CHP is likely to get around 27 percent of the votes, while the MHP is 15 percent.

According the political analysts, the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP), could well sway the outcome of the election.

Sensoy said there are strong indications that the HDP will pass the 10 percent electoral threshold, and would further "contribute to Turkey's democratic credentials and also to the internal peace.

In Turkey's elections, if political parties fail to receive at least 10 percent of the valid votes nationwide, then they will not be represented in the parliament. The latest polls shows that HDP is expected to win almost 12 percent of the votes.

In case HDP would win seats in the parliament, AKP is not going to have enough parliament members to form a one-party government, let alone the power to change how politics in the country would work, said the political analyst.

Being well aware of his party's dwindling popularity, President Erdogan has asked his supporters to stage rallies across the country. Critics have stepped forward to accuse the Turkish leader of losing impartiality.

"Turkey is still under the rule of the parliamentarian system, that hasn't changed. It is not convenient to behave in a way as if the constitution has been changed in favor of the presidential system," he pointed out.

If the AKP has not garnered enough votes, and has to align with other parties for a coalition government, then the president could kiss the constitution amendment and the referendum goodbye, he said.

He also said that the neither the sociological nor political conditions of Turkey are ready for such a drastic political adjustment.

Out on the streets of Istanbul, ordinary Turkish citizens seem to have been wary of a AKP victory, and possible change it entails.

"I will vote for HDP. They are offering a new system for Turkey for the first time, which is based on the multiple administration system," said Baran Tekina, a young Kurdish man, adding that the AKP supports one man rule. Endit