Turkey’s presidential elections yesterday headed for a runoff, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pulling ahead of his chief challenger, but falling short of an outright victory that would extend his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade.
The vote was being closely watched to see if the strategically located NATO country remains under Erdogan’s firm grip or can embark on a more democratic course envisioned by his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
While Erdogan has governed for 20 years, opinion polls had suggested that run could be coming to an end amid economic turmoil, a cost-of-living crisis and criticism over the government’s response to a February earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people.
Photo: AP
With 99.87 percent of the domestic votes and 84 percent of the overseas votes counted, Erdogan had 49.5 percent of the votes, while Kilicdaroglu had 44.8 percent, figures from the Supreme Electoral Board showed.
A third candidate, nationalist politician Sinan Ogan, received 5.2 percent.
Erdogan, 69, told supporters in the early hours yesterday that he could still win, but added that he would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28 — a vote that might favor him since his alliance looked set to retain its majority in parliament.
Opinion polls in the runup to Sunday’s vote had given Kilicdaroglu, the joint candidate of a six-party opposition alliance, a slight lead over Erdogan, who has governed Turkey as either prime minister or president since 2003.
Kilicdaroglu sounded hopeful for a second-round victory.
“We will absolutely win the second round ... and bring democracy,” said Kilicdaroglu, 74, adding that Erdogan had lost the trust of a nation now demanding change.
Ogan has not said whom he would endorse if the elections go to a second round.
The election results showed that the alliance led by Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party looked like it would keep its majority in the 600-seat parliament, although the assembly has lost much of its legislative power after a referendum to change the nation’s system of governance to an executive presidency narrowly passed in 2017.
Anadolu news agency said Erdogan’s ruling party alliance was hovering at 49.3 percent, while Kilicdaroglu’s Nation Alliance had 35.2 percent and support for a pro-Kurdish party stood above 10 percent.
The fact that Erdogan appears to have held on to his majority increases his chances of winning a second-round vote, with more voters likely to support Erdogan to avoid a split government.
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