Erdogan reelected Turkey's president in runoff election: Supreme election council

29 May 2023 08:31am

This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish Presidency Press Office on May 28, 2023 shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing supporters gathered outside his residence following his victory in Turkish presidential election at Kisikli district in Istanbul. The head of Turkey's election commission on May 28, 2023 declared President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the winner of a historic runoff vote that will extend his 20-year rule until 2028. (Photo by MURAT CETIN MUHURDAR / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP)

ANKARA, Turkey - Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been reelected Türkey’s president in runoff elections, the chairman of the country's Supreme Election Council (YSK), Ahmet Yener said on Sunday.

Ahmet was reported as saying by Anadolu Agency that Erdogan won Türkey’s presidency over opposition challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the second-round runoff vote.

According to unofficial results, the Turkish incumbent won the race with 52.14 per cent, while Kilicdaroglu got 47.86 per cent of the votes, he said, adding that 99.43 per cent of the ballot boxes have been opened so far.

In a speech in Istanbul late Sunday, President Erdogan said Türkey’s 85 million-strong citizens are the winners in the national elections that concluded Sunday.

More than 64.1 million people were registered to vote, including over 1.92 million who earlier cast their ballots at overseas polling stations.

Nearly 192,000 ballot boxes were set up for voters across Türkey.

On May 14, no candidate won the required 50 per cent in the first round, triggering Sunday’s runoff, although Erdogan took the lead with 49.52 per cent.

On that day, Erdogan’s People’s Alliance also won a majority in parliament. - BERNAMA-ANADOLU