Polling stations have closed in Turkey for the second round of the presidential election pitting outgoing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
The runoff has confirmed Erdogan as president. He wins but does not win by a landslide.
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Erdogan is confirmed president
According to the chairman of the Turkish electoral commission Ysk, Ahmet Yener, the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the end of the ballot vote count, obtained 53.4 % of the votes against 46.5 % for his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was thus declared the winner by the electoral commission. The Turkish leader thus ensures himself power for another five years, until 2028.
After 90 per cent in the first election round, the turnout for the runoff in Turkey was still very high. Over 85 per cent of the eligible voters according to data released by state TV Trt.
Erdogan’s words: ‘The people have given us confidence once again’
“Our people have given us confidence once again”. These are the words of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after winning the presidential election with 52% in a runoff against challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
“Only Turkey has won today,” Erdogan said speaking in Istanbul.
“Today we write our history once again. We will continue to work hard, we will live up to the trust you have given us. The entire Turkish people are the winners of these elections.”
And again: “With this victory the doors of the ‘century of Turkey’ have opened.”
Kilicdaroglu: ‘We will continue the fight’
And here are the words of opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu after the outcome of the runoff:
“We will continue the struggle, our march continues, we are here. You must know that we will oppose the difficulties that lie ahead’.
Kilicdaroglu, who forced Erdogan to go to the ballot, spoke from Ankara and thanked the approximately 25 million Turks who voted for him: “Stand up and walk with pride”.
Erdogan’s victory in Turkey, international reactions: among the first to congratulate is Putin
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan:
“His victory, Putin says, in these elections is the logical result of his dedicated work as head of the Turkish Republic, clear evidence of the Turkish people’s support for his efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy.”
Erdogan also receives a message from Ukrainian President Zelensky
“Congratulations to Turkey’s President on his victory in the presidential elections”. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote this on Telegram in Turkish.
“We look forward to developing our cooperation for the security and stability of Europe and further strengthening our strategic partnership for the benefit of our countries”.
Macron to Erdogan: ‘Huge challenges to face together’
The President of France Emmanuel Macron also spoke on social media.
“France and Turkey have huge challenges to face together. The return of peace in Europe, the future of our Euro-Atlantic Alliance, the Mediterranean Sea. With President Erdogan, whom I congratulate on his re-election, we will continue to move forward.”
President Von der Leyen message: ‘Our relations of strategic importance’
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen was also congratulated:
“I congratulate Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his election victory. I look forward to continuing to build EU-Turkey relations. It is of strategic importance for the EU and Turkey to work on advancing these relations, for the benefit of our peoples.”
Read also: The main political elections to watch out for in 2023
