Ankara: Final results are coming in as more than 98 percent of the votes have been counted thus far. Erdogan’s current share of the votes stands at 49.34 percent while Kilicdaroglu’s share stands at 45.00 percent.
The polls opened at 8:00 AM (0500 GMT) and closed at 5:00 PM (1400 GMT).
Media organisations were barred from reporting partial results until an embargo was lifted at 6:30 PM (1530 GMT) by The Supreme Election Council (YSK).
If no candidate secures more than half the votes in the first round of voting, a May 28 run-off will be held.
A total of 191,885 ballot boxes have been set up for voters in the country.
There are five multiparty blocs in the running: the People’s Alliance, Nation Alliance, Ata Alliance, Labour and Freedom Alliance, and Union of Socialist Power Alliance.
Türkiye’s presidential and parliamentary elections once again reflected the nation’s will, the country’s communications director has said.
May 14 was once again the day “when the will of this esteemed nation” was manifested, said Fahrettin Altun on Twitter.
“Our nation has spoken and pointed out the way to go. By sharing in solidarity and in peace, we will grow together and will set an example to the world,” Altun wrote.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he has a “clear lead” in the Turkish presidential elections.
Addressing his supporters at the AK Party’s headquarters in the capital Ankara, he said that both domestic and foreign votes were still being counted, adding preliminary results show “we are far ahead.”
He said he has won around 2.6 million more votes than his closest competitor, adding the number will increase in the final results.
Erdogan said the country has completed another “festival of democracy” with May 14 elections, adding the country has witnessed one of highest turnouts in the nation’s history.
“People who gave the majority to our alliance in parliament will surely side with stability in the presidential election,” Erdogan added.
The spokesperson of the AK Party Omer Celik has said that it was everyone’s duty to respect the will of the people of Türkiye and the democratic culture that they have showcased.
“The greatest wealth of this country is that the citizens decide who will govern and lead this country.”
YSK Chairman Yener has told reporters that “there is no disruption or delay in the data entry of the YSK at the moment.”
He also said that the YSK data is shared with political parties instantly
Presidential candidate of the Nation Alliance and CHP Chairman Kilicdaroglu has said “ballot box observers and our officials in the election boards should never leave where they are.”
“We will not sleep tonight,” Kilicdaroglu said in a statement on his social media account.
President Erdogan has tweeted that the elections were carried out “with ease and simplicity” and “is an expression of Türkiye’s democratic maturity.”
“While the elections have passed in such a positive and democratic atmosphere, hastily attempting to announce the results while vote counting is still ongoing would constitute a usurpation of the national will,” Erdogan said.
“We are pleased that the continued counting of votes reflects the will of our people. I request all my colleagues and companions to not leave the ballot boxes until the results are officially finalised, no matter what happens,” he added
The governing AK Party’s spokesperson Omer Celik says the vote-counting process is proceeding transparently.
“Our greatest wealth is having a functioning democracy,” said Celik, who claimed the spokesman for the opposition alliance and some mayors “tried to distort the data” provided by Anadolu Agency before the results were finalised.
“We respect the legal mechanisms, the counting process and the authority of the Supreme Election Council (YSK), which will announce the results.”
The Turkish Supreme Election Council (YSK) has lifted the ban on broadcasting election results as of 6:30 pm local time (15:30 GMT), YSK chairman Ahmet Yener told reporters in the capital Ankara.
YSK Chairman: “no negative situation reflected in our Board so far”
YSK Chairman Yener stated that the voting procedures in the General Elections for the President and the 28th Term Member of Parliament have been concluded, and that there has been no negative reflection to the Board so far.
In a written statement, Yener stated that a party observer and two citizens died of a heart attack during the voting process across the country, and expressed his condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives.
In 1987 voter turnout was at 93.3 percent and in 2018 it was at 86.2 percent.
Yavuz says voter turnout this year is expected to surpass the 90 percent threshold.
Diaspora voting also increased from 50 percent in 2018 to 53 percent this year.
Presidential candidate of ATA Alliance, Sinan Ogan, voted in Ankara with his wife Gokcen Ogan. He called on citizens to celebrate the elections together.
“I wish this election to bring prosperity to our country and our nation. I call on all our citizens to please cast their votes. Let’s have this election together as a celebration peacefully. I am very excited. I thank everyone.”
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cast his vote in the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
“The voting process continues across the country without any problems. Our citizens in the earthquake region are also voting with great enthusiasm. We did not encounter any problems in that region too,” Erdogan told reporters after casting his vote in Istanbul’s Uskudar district.
He wished a “good future for our country and Turkish democracy”.
Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairperson and presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu has voted in the elections.
Kilicdaroglu cast his vote in the Arjantin Primary School in Ankara.
