Turkey’s presidential elections appeared to be be moving toward a second-round runoff on Monday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country with a firm grip for 20 years, leading over his arch rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Erdogan has been leading with 49.4% of the votes, with Kilicdaroglu, garnering 45% of the votes, after 99.4% of the domestic votes and 84% of the overseas votes counted so far, as a third candidate, nationalist politician Sinan Ogan received 5.2%.
But, Erdogan is falling short of the majority votes needed for an outright win to extend his 20-year leadership of the NATO-member country
Erdogan, 69, told supporters in the early hours of Monday that he could still win. He said, however, that he would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28.
The vote was being closely watched to see if the strategically located NATO country — which has a coast on the Black Sea to the north, and neighbors Iran, Iraq and Syria to the south — remains under the control of the increasingly authoritarian president or can embark on a more democratic course that was envisioned by Kilicdaroglu.
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Opinion polls in the runup to Sunday’s vote had given Kilicdaroglu, the joint candidate of a six-party opposition alliance, a slight lead over Erdogan, who has governed Turkey as either prime minister or president since 2003.
“We will absolutely win the second round … and bring democracy” said Kilicdaroglu, 74, maintaining that Erdogan had lost the trust of a nation now demanding change.
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Ogan has not said whom he would endorse if the elections go to a second-round. He is believed to have received support from electors wanting change after two decades under Erdogan but unconvinced by the Kilicdaroglu-led six party alliance’s ability to govern.
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