Turkey's Istanbul According to unofficial results from the state-run Anadolu Agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been re-elected in a suspenseful run-off after falling short of the needed majority of votes in the first round on May 14.
Erdogan reportedly won 52.1 percent of the vote in the second round on Sunday, defeating his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who took home 47.9 percent, with 97 percent of the ballot boxes having been opened.
The outcomes have not yet been officially ratified by the Supreme Election Council.
The referendum solidifies Erdogan's legacy as he continues his five-year, 20-year dominance.
He had already surpassed Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who established the Republic of Turkey, who served as president for 15 years.
Crowds flocked to the presidential palace in Ankara as Erdogan's victory appeared to be complete in anticipation of his victory address.
Erdogan had previously performed a song in front of his Uskudar home in Istanbul before thanking the cheering throng.
Erdogan declared, "We have successfully completed the second round of the presidential elections with the support of our people." God willing, like we have been for the past 21 years, we will continue to be deserving of your trust.
The 85 million people in the nation were the "victors" of the two voting rounds on May 14 and May 28, he continued.
In addition, the president noted that the Republican People's Party (CHP), the biggest opposition party, will hold Kilicdaroglu accountable for his poor performance and that fewer CHP seats have been added to the parliament since the 2017 elections.
End Of Campaign
One of the most contentious campaigns in recent memory took place throughout the two-month election period.
Due to the backing provided by the biggest pro-Kurdish party, Erdogan frequently referred to his opponent as being supported by "terrorists," while Kilicdaroglu concluded the campaign by branding Erdogan a "coward."
The opposition in particular pledged to compel Syrians and other refugee communities to leave, giving the campaign an increasingly nationalist tenor.
Since the introduction of direct presidential elections in 2014, the vote had never advanced to a second round before Sunday's run-off.
Even though voters were asked to cast ballots once more two weeks after the original election on May 14, the turnout stayed around 85%.
The outcome for Turks watching the inauguration of the voting booths on television depended on whether they were watching the state-run Anadolu news agency or the opposition-affiliated Anka news agency.
Two hours after voting ended, according to the electoral authorities, Anadolu showed Erdogan leading with 53.7 percent, while Anka showed Kilicdaroglu ahead with 50.1 percent.
But as the night went on, the gap between the two accounts shrank and Erdogan was revealed to be ahead in both.
The leadership contest and legislative election both took place on May 14 and were largely hailed as the most significant in recent Turkish history. They were held in the nation's 100th year since its founding.
The alternative between the contenders was presented in similarly dramatic terms: either a leader who promised a return to a parliamentary system or a continuation of Erdogan's two-decade dominance.
More than 64 million Turks, both at home and abroad, were eligible to vote in the elections, which took place against a backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis marked by an 85 percent inflation peak in October and earthquakes in February that claimed more than 50,000 lives in the southeast of the country.
When Erdogan first assumed office in 2003 as prime minister, he provided a vision for future growth and pledged to build on the advancements made by his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) administration.
Erdogan was able to pledge the stability that comes with controlling both the legislature and the cabinet after the AK Party and its allies won 323 of 600 seats in the parliamentary election.
While addressing what he called economic mismanagement, Kilicdaroglu promised democratization and a reversal of Erdogan's "one-man rule".
Part of the nationalistic rhetoric leading up to the presidential run-off was an effort to win over supporters of Sinan Ogan, the candidate who received more than 5% of the vote on May 14.
Ultimately, Ogan sided with Erdogan, but other nationalists supported Kilicdaroglu.
In the opening round, Erdogan received 49.5 percent of the vote to Kilicdaroglu's 44.9 percent.
After suffering through the last two months of campaigning, voters now have 10 months to prepare for the March local elections. Erdogan will attempt to reclaim cities like Istanbul and Ankara that the opposition captured in 2019 during these elections.