Erdogan wins presidential election run-off in Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured re-election.
This was announced by the country’s Supreme Election Council and unofficial data from the state-run Anadolu Agency.
After failing to reach the required majority in the first round on May 14, Erdogan emerged victorious in a tense run-off.
With nearly all votes counted, Erdogan obtained 52.14 percent of the votes in the second round on Sunday, defeating his challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who garnered 47.86 percent, according to the Supreme Election Council.
The official confirmation of the result is expected in the coming days, solidifying Erdogan’s position as he extends his rule to 20 years for another five years.
This surpasses the 15-year presidency of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.
In his victory speech, President Erdogan declared, “Turkey is the winner,” expressing gratitude to the people for their support. He assured them of his dedication to upholding their trust, a responsibility he has carried for the past 21 years.
Erdogan also held the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) accountable for their candidate’s performance and highlighted the decreased number of CHP seats in the parliament compared to the 2017 elections.
Addressing his supporters at the presidential palace in Ankara, Erdogan congratulated them and acknowledged the urgent issue of inflation in the country. He reassured the public that solving this problem would not be challenging.
Furthermore, Erdogan emphasized his commitment to addressing the aftermath of the February earthquakes and rebuilding the affected regions. He pledged continued support for the earthquake-stricken areas.
Following the election outcome, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the CHP leader, vowed to persist in what he called a “struggle for democracy.” He criticized the unequal distribution of state resources and accused the government of employing immoral and unlawful tactics.
Although Kilicdaroglu has not resigned yet, there are growing calls for him to step down in the wake of the election loss.
