Turkey’s incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared victory on Sunday in a historic runoff presidential election, extending his rule into a third decade.
Addressing his jubilant supporters in Istanbul, Erdogan confidently announced: “We will be ruling the country for the coming five years. God willing, we will be deserving of your trust.”
Official results showed Erdogan won with 52.1 percent of the votes, while his secular opposition rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, garnered 47.9 percent.
Kilicdaroglu called it “the most unfair election in years,” but did not dispute the outcome.
The election had been seen as one of the most consequential yet for Turkey, with the opposition believing it had a strong chance of unseating Erdogan after his popularity was hit by a cost-of-living crisis.
But despite facing criticism and doubts, Erdogan, Turkey’s longest-serving leader, emerged with a comfortable lead in the first round on May 14. This initial lead in the first round defied predictions from numerous opinion polls that anticipated his defeat.
Now, with his victory secured, Erdogan is set to continue his presidency, shaping the country’s future and further consolidating his hold on power.
Source: ABC News.
