TURKEY’S ERDOGAN RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT: STATE MEDIA

Sun 28 May 2023:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won re-election in an intriguing run-off after failing to achieve more than 50% of the votes required for an outright victory in the first round on May 14.

President Erdogan leads Turkish election with 53.41% of vote while opposition candidate Kilicdaroglu has 46.59%, with 75.42% of votes counted: Supreme Election Council.

The victory would mean that Erdogan, 69, will extend his 20-year rule for another five years, and will also see him take Turkey past the centenary of the republic’s foundation in October.

Erdogan took 49.52 percent of the vote on May 14, while his Kilicdaroglu received 44.88 percent.

While the incumbent went into the run-off with a strong momentum and an edge over of his rival, his chances were bolstered by the endorsement of nationalist Sinan Ogan who came in third in the presidential race.

Ogan cited Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party) winning a parliamentary majority as a reason for his decision. The AK Party and its allies secured 323 seats in the 600-strong parliament in simultaneous elections held on May 14.