- There will probably be a runoff between incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan and challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
- According to the head of the electoral authority, Erdogan received 49.4 percent, which is just below the absolute majority required.
- Challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu is therefore at 44.4 percent.
This is the status of 99 percent of the ballot boxes counted in Germany and around 84 percent abroad. The final results have not yet been announced. It is unclear when this can be expected. Delays in the counting process are possible: According to media reports, Erdogan’s AKP doubts the results in the urban electoral districts. These must therefore be counted again, the data will not yet be forwarded to the election commission.
For its part, the opposition has doubts about the widespread state results. Opposition candidate Kilicdaroglu said the YSK High Electoral Committee was blocking “Turkey’s will” because millions of votes had still not been counted.
Runoff likely
Third-placed, right-wing nationalist Sinan Ogan received 5.3 percent of the vote. He wants to explore how to proceed with his supporters. In view of the likely runoff between Erdogan and challenger Kilicdaroglu, he considered it a success that his camp could play an important role. Initially, he made no recommendation for any of the candidates. But he will do so in the next few days, Ogan said.
If none of the candidates receives more than 50 percent of the votes, the two strongest candidates will go to a runoff on May 28th. If such a thing came about, he would accept it, Erdogan said in Ankara. Kilicdaroglu also wants to accept the decision for a second round.
Legend:
Erdogan’s challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu cast his vote in Ankara.
Keystone/EPO/SEDAT SUNA
The elections in Turkey are considered trend-setting and, due to the expected domestic and foreign policy effects, one of the most important in the world this year.
“Tactical maneuvers” could lead to delays
Meanwhile, the opposition accused Erdogan’s Islamic conservative ruling party of “tactical manoeuvres” in the counting of votes. According to them, Kilicdaroglu is just ahead, the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara said at a joint press conference in the capital.
Legend:
Incumbent Erdogan votes in Istanbul.
Reuters/UMIT BEKTAS
Erdogan’s conservative Islamic party, AKP, is deliberately objecting to the results in opposition strongholds, they accuse. This makes counting slower and the result is initially in favor of the government.
AKP spokesman Ömer Celik, in turn, accused the opposition of a “dictatorial attitude” during the counting of votes because they announced the results early on.
Parliamentary election: AKP in front
In addition to the presidential election, there was also a parliamentary election. Here Erdogan’s AKP is 35 percent ahead of Kilicdaroglu’s opposition CHP with 25 percent, the Anadolu news agency reported after counting 97 percent of the votes.
Polling stations across the country closed at 4 p.m. local time on Sunday. A total of around 64 million people in Germany and abroad were called upon to elect the president and a new parliament.
According to an initial assessment by the competent authority, the election ran without any major problems. Opposition politicians reported minor incidents from various provinces.