The presidential election in Türkiye is heading towards a probable second round. The final results of the first round, which was held on Sunday May 14, are not yet known. Buthe two contenders for the presidency, the outgoing Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his opponent, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, have both already said they can win in the second round. In power for twenty years, the current Head of State assured that he was convinced “to serve his country for another five years”. This is the first time that Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be forced to appear in the second round. For his part, his rival promised his camp that he would “absolutely win in the second round”. Follow our live.
The counting of votes still in progress. SAccording to the results covering 95% of the ballots at 3:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m. in Paris), the outgoing president was below 50% of the vote, reports the official Anadolu agency. Kemal Kiliçdaroglu had just 45% of the votes at 3:30 a.m. The third candidate, Sinon Ogan, is credited with about 5% of the vote.
The date of May 28 retained in the event of a second round. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must obtain a majority of 50% of the votes plus one. If no candidate exceeds 50% in the first round, a second round will then be organized on Sunday May 28. This is the symbolic anniversary date of the largest popular protest movement that shook power in 2003.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims a majority in Parliament. The 64 million Turkish voters were also called upon to choose the 600 deputies who will sit in Parliament in Ankara. The outgoing president affirmed that the National Alliance led by his party, the AKP, had won the “majority” of 600 seats.