World Bulletin / News Desk 

Turkish dailies on Thursday mainly covered political parties’ election campaigns, latest developments on corruption allegations at FIFA plus Istanbul football side Galatasaray’s winning of the Turkish Cup.

Leaders of Turkish political parties are holding their remaining election campaigns in different provinces. Ahmet Davutoglu, prime minister and chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AK Party, toured Istanbul’s districts on Wednesday.

VATAN said Davutoglu told supporters that the AK Party would enjoy single-party rule after the 7 June election.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, visited his home province, Tunceli, and two other provinces.

“We will tear apart the current order,” he said during an election meeting in Tunceli, VATAN reported.

HABERTURK said Devlet Bahceli, chairman of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, held public meetings in three provinces. “MHP is ready to embrace all who say Turkey is my homeland,” Bahceli said.

The daily reported that Selahattin Demirtas, co-chair of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party, or HDP, in his Mardin election meeting backed the ‘solution process’. The initiative aims to end the decades-old conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party militia, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people.

Political parties have been permitted to hold their last public meetings on Saturday.

“Eyes on first-time voters,” was HURRIYET’s headline, reporting that at least one million young citizens will go to the polls for the first time. “Political parties eagerly await their choice,” the daily commented, adding that their preference would change the outcome.

“Being aware of those young voters, parties have made special pledges for those voters,” the daily continued.

In foreign news, “Involved in dirty business,” was HABERTURK’s headline on a report that Chuck Blazer, a former top FIFA executive, admitted to accepting bribes over the selection of host nations for the 1998 and 2010 World Cups.

He confessed that he agreed to receive bribes in exchange for votes in favor of France and South Africa as 1998 and 2010 World Cup hosts respectively, according to the daily.

The daily claimed the U.S. included Sepp Blatter, outgoing president of FIFA, in the corruption probe. YENI SAFAK claimed Blatter’s “shock resignation” came after “corruption documents.”

The U.S. Department of Justice indicted 14 individuals on charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering that involved the world football governing body.

Seven of those were arrested in Zurich and are awaiting extradition to the U.S. Four others have already been charged, including Blazer, whose cooperation as a key witness in the investigation led to last week's arrests.

The case has sent shockwaves across the world, forcing longtime FIFA head Blatter to announce his resignation on Tuesday night, four days after being re-elected.

In sports news, “King of cups,” was HURRIYET’s headline, reporting that Galatasaray won the Ziraat Turkish Cup right after becoming the Turkish Spor Toto Super League champion.

“Lord of cups,” was HABERTURK’s headline while MILLIYET said: “Galatasaray did [the] double.”

Galatasaray – reigning Ziraat Turkish Cup champions – last did the double in the 1999-2000 season. The Lions are the most frequent winners of the Turkish Cup with 16 titles.

In economic news, financial paper DUNYA claimed Qatari Barwa Bank is planning to launch an Islamic bank in Turkey.

“Turkey’s star is shining in Islamic finance,” was DUNYA’s headline, adding that the step came after Ziraat Bank, one of Turkey's largest state-owned banks, opened its first branch for Islamic finance.

There are currently four Islamic banks operating in Turkey: Albaraka Turk, Bank Asya, Kuveyt Turk and Turkiye Finans. Ziraat is the fifth bank entering this sector.

The Turkish government aims to see the establishment of three Islamic banks as subsidiaries of the current state-run conventional banks by the end of 2015.