2023-05-28 23:46:20
Recep Tayyip Erdogan secure victory in the presidential elections Türkiyeextending his term to a third decade and defeating opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in a runoff election on Sunday.
With 99.43% of the votes counted, the preliminary official results announced by the Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey (YSK) revealed that Erdogan won 52.14% of the vote, while Kilicdaroglu received 47.86%.
Amid a festive atmosphere, Erdogan triumphantly emerged from his Istanbul residence, boarding a campaign bus and singing celebratory songs. From the top of the vehicle, he addressed a jubilant crowd waving the Turkish flag, thanking the nation for its support.
“With the favor of our nation, we have concluded the second round of the presidential elections. I would like to express my gratitude to my country for giving us a day of democracy”Erdoğan declared.
“Those who have won the elections on May 14 and the elections on May 28 are the 85 million citizens of our country,” added the Turkish president, referring to the two electoral rounds.
At his party’s headquarters in the capital Ankara, Kemal Kilicdaroglu expressed his intention to continue fighting until “real democracy” is achieved in Turkey.
“This has been the most unfair election period in our history… We will not bow to the climate of fear,” Kilicdaroglu said. “In this election, the people have made clear their willingness to change an authoritarian government despite all the pressures.”
The president of the main opposition party regretted the difficult days that, according to him, await the country.
Various foreign leaders, including those of Russia, Qatar, Libya, Algeria, Hungary, Iran and the Palestinian Authority, were among the first to congratulate Erdogan on his victory.
Supporters of the president rallied in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, chanting his name and chanting slogans such as “God is great.”
At the Istanbul headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK), hundreds of people gathered after learning the preliminary results that placed Erdogan in the lead. Some came with their children, while others waved flags, honked car horns, and set off sparklers and fireworks.
Mehmet Karli, an adviser to Kilicdaroglu, called Erdogan’s election victory a “pyrrhic victory” and accused the president of stoking tensions during the electoral process.
“It seems that President Erdogan has won this election. However, it would be a mistake to call this a victory. Perhaps ‘Pyrrhic victory’ is a better term to describe the situation,” Karli said.
In a video released by Reuters, Erdogan was seen handing out money to fans outside a polling station.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan handed out money to supporters outside the polling station where he cast his ballot in the runoff election //t.co/DM7VCR8xW5 pic.twitter.com/4uqeIrattJ
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 28, 2023
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