Turkey Re-elects Erdogan in Historic Polls
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has just won the key presidential vote that will allow him to stay in the seat of power, according to Turkish election officials. He has also secured a comfortable victory on his way to becoming Turkey's first executive president as well.
99.2 percent of ballots have already been counted, firmly establishing the victory for Erdogan and his party, according to Al Jazeera. A complete count would only confirm the 52.5 percent share of the vote reported by the state-run Anadolu news agency, more than enough to clinch the win outright.
"Our democracy has won, the people's will has won, Turkey has won," Erdogan said as he addressed a crowd of celebrating supporters in Ankara. It was a historic election in more ways than one, with a record-breaking turn-out that saw 87 percent of Turkish citizens coming out to cast their ballots.
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Having secured a new term, Erdogan's party has also cemented the legislative support for it as well. The 64-year-old President-to-be has also congratulated the People's Alliance, a union of his own Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for winning the majority of the parliament seats in the legislative elections.
With his place as the first Executive President of Turkey, this victory also marked the final end of the Prime Minister position, which has been abolished in a controversial referendum last year, according to BBC.
Last Sunday, June 24, marked one of the most fiercely contested elections in a decade, waged between Erdogan and his main challenger, Muharrem İnce. The latter has already accepted his defeat, after coming in second place with 30.64 percent of the vote — not nearly enough to force the contest to a second round.
"I accept the election results," İnce said at a press conference at his party's headquarters, as quoted by the Guardian. The final proclamation of the results will be on Friday. June 29.
