STORY: The incumbent head of state handed out bank notes worth 200 liras (approx 10 US dollars) each, and shook hands with supporters who were lined up outside the door.

The move has become something of a tradition for Erdogan, who usually will also hand out toys to children in addition to money on special occasions, including the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

The Turkish presidential election is one of the most consequential in the country's modern history and is set to determine not only who rules the country, but also how it is governed, where its economy is headed after its currency plunged to one-tenth of its value against the dollar in a decade, and the shape of its foreign policy.