Reuters is quoting Ahmet Yener as saying on Monday that Erdoğan’s rival, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, had scored 44.96% and the third-placed candidate, ultranationalist and potential kingmaker Sinan Ogan 5.2% of the vote.
Written and analysed by Chris Muhizi Minembwe Capital News 11:40am Nairobi Kenya Time.
The near-complete results strongly suggest the election will go to a runoff on 28 May since neither of the two leading candidates received more than 50% of the vote.
With just over 99% of ballot boxes opened, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has received 49.4% of votes in the country’s presidential election, the head of the country’s election council has said.
Reuters is quoting Ahmet Yener as saying on Monday that Erdoğan’s rival, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, had scored 44.96% and the third-placed candidate, ultranationalist and potential kingmaker Sinan Ogan 5.2% of the vote.
The near-complete results strongly suggest the election will go to a runoff on 28 May since neither of the two leading candidates received more than 50% of the vote.
”Even though the final results are not in, we are far ahead. We still don’t know the final official results, we are still waiting for the will of the nation to become apparent.
The fact that the election results have not yet been finalised does not diminish the fact that our nation’s choice is clearly in favour of us.
Erdoğan said he believed he would clear the 50% threshold necessary to avoid a runoff, but that if it came to a second round, “we would respect that too”. president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
“Despite all of his lies and attacks, Erdoğan did not receive the desired outcome. No one should be enthusiastic about this being a done deal.
We will definitely, definitely win this election in the second round. Everyone will see it. Preliminary results show Erdoğan did not receive the public confidence vote that he expected.
The need for a change in society exceeds 50%. If the nation opts for a second round, it is more than welcome.”
opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said
Reporting from Istanbul, Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu said that Erdogan will have to try to win back the Kurdish vote which had previously gone him before the breakdown of the peace process.
“After the peace process with the Kurds collapsed, the Kurds were offended with President Erdogan. The government’s security-oriented policies after the [2016] coup attempt also distanced the Kurds,” explained Koseoglu.
“In the southeastern region where Kurdish dominated cities are, the votes went for CHP. Erdogan…needs those votes,” she said, adding that the third candidate Sinan Ogan, who made a great jump during the elections which no one was expecting, will have to decide whether to led his support to Erdogan or Kilicdaroglu.
“Until the second round, it is all about negotiations,” she added.
According to journalist Ahmet Yener, who was quoted by Reuters, Erdoan’s opponent Kemal Klçdarolu received 44.96% of the vote, while ultranationalist and prospective kingmaker Sinan Ogan received 5.2%.
Since none of the two front-runners garnered more than 50% of the vote, it is quite likely that the race will go to a runoff on May 28.
The chairman of the country’s electoral committee said that Recep Tayyip Erdoan, the president of Turkey, has garnered 49.4% of the votes with slightly over 99% of the ballot boxes unsealed.
“We are far ahead even if the final results are not in yet. We are still awaiting the nation’s will to be realized, thus we still don’t know the official results in their entirety.
Even if the election results have not yet been officially announced, it is nonetheless apparent that our country has chosen us.
Erdoan stated that he was certain he would get the required 50% of the vote to prevent a runoff, but added that “we would respect that too” if a second round was necessary. Recep Tayyip Erdoan, president, stated.
“Erodoan did not achieve the intended result despite all of his falsehoods and insults. Nobody should be overjoyed that this is a done deal.
The second round of this election will unquestionably be won by us. Anyone can see it. According to early findings, Erdoan did not gain the support from the population he anticipated.
Over 50% of the population needs social transformation. We are more than happy to have a second round,” opposition leader Kemal Klçdarolu said.
Reporting from Istanbul, Sinem Koseoglu of Al Jazeera stated that Erdogan would need to work to regain the Kurdish support that had previously gone to him before to the collapse of the peace process.
“The Kurds were incensed with President Erdogan when the peace negotiations with the Kurds fell down. Following the [2016] coup attempt, the government’s security-focused policies alienated the Kurds as well, according to Koseoglu.
She said that the third contender, Sinan Ogan, who made a significant jump during the elections that no one anticipated, “needs those votes…Erdogan…needs them.”
“The votes for CHP were cast in the southeast, in the cities with a high Kurdish population. Erdogan “needs those votes,” she added, adding that the third contender, Sinan Ogan, who unexpectedly made a big rise in the polls, will have to choose between supporting Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu.
Negotiations would dominate up to the second round, she concluded.
