On Sunday, Turkey held one of the most important elections in the country’s modern 100-year history. The pivotal, crucial election could have significant consequences for the country’s future, it could extend the current President’s two-decade grip on power or put the mostly Muslim nation on a more secular course. As per preliminary results, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took an early lead.
Turkish state news agency Anadolu showed the incumbent president picking up more than 51 per cent of the vote, while his main challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu trails with around 43 per cent.
Anadolu’s figures, as per AFP, were based on 60 per cent of the ballots. However, Kilicdaroglu, in a tweet, claimed that his party’s own vote count showed him winning.
“We are leading,” he wrote.
A count by the pro-opposition Anka news site showed that the two leaders were tied, falling just short of the 50-per cent threshold needed to avoid a May 28 runoff.
Both Anka and Anadolu show third-party candidate Sinan Ogan was picking up five per cent of the vote.
Early votes from heavily pro-government districts appeared to be giving Erdogan the lead, but as more ballots were counted, his lead appeared to be shrinking.
“We are seeing a positive picture, according to our data,” opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) spokesman Faik Oztrak told the press.
He added that they would not release any numbers until the number of opened ballot boxes reach a meaningful level.
“We will start to give the numbers when the number of opened ballot boxes reaches a meaningful level.”
Kilicdaroglu, the 74-year-old opposition leader, had a slight advantage over Erdogan in most pre-election polls.
Pre-poll predictions also indicated that the former civil servant will win the youth vote, which counts for nearly 10 per cent of the electorate by a two-to-one margin.
As per Reuters, based on partial results, sources from both camps suggest neither of the main contenders will reach the 50 per cent threshold required for an outright win and that Turkish presidential elections will probably head for a runoff vote on May 28th.
The outcome of the presidential vote in Turkey will determine more than just the country’s leader. It will also have an impact on the country’s governance, the direction of its economy during a period of significant cost-of-living issues, and its foreign policy. With a population of 85 million people, Turkey’s importance as a NATO member cannot be understated.
(With inputs from agencies)
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
