Turkey Braces For Momentous Runoff As Erdogan's Support Falls Under 50 Per Cent

In the election, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan edged ahead of his secular rival but failed to secure a first-round win.

In the election, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan edged ahead of his secular rival but failed to secure a first-round win. ( Image Source :twitter.com/RTErdogan )

New Delhi: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled the country for 20 years, found himself in a closely contested election on Sunday, with the possibility of a make-or-break runoff against his main opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu as the final votes were counted, reported Associated Press.

In the election, Erdogan edged ahead of his secular rival but failed to secure a first-round win. Neither Erdogan nor his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu were able to cross the 50% threshold needed to avoid a second round, to be held on May 28, in an election seen as a verdict on Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian path.

According to Reuters, the presidential vote will decide not only who leads Turkey, a NATO-member country of 85 million, but also whether it reverts to a more secular, democratic path; how it will handle its severe cost of living crisis and manage key relations with Russia, the Middle East, and the West.

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, out of the 97% of the votes counted, Erdogan secured 49.39% of votes while his main opponent Kilicdaroglu got 44.92% of votes, reported Reuters. Turkey's High Election Board gave Erdogan 49.49% with 91.93% of ballot boxes counted.

Speaking to supporters in Ankara, Erdogan said he could still win but would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff vote in two weeks, according to AP.

“We don’t yet know if the elections ended in the first round. ... If our nation has chosen for a second round, that is also welcome,” Erdogan said early Monday, noting that votes from Turkish citizens living abroad still need to be tallied. He garnered 60% of the overseas vote in 2018.

Kilicdaroglu, who said he would prevail in the runoff, urged his supporters to be patient and accused Erdogan's party of interfering with the counting and reporting of results.

According to Reuters, opinion polls before the election had pointed to a very tight race but gave Kilicdaroglu, who heads a six-party alliance, a slight lead. Two polls on Friday even showed him above the 50% threshold.

"Erdogan will have an advantage in a second vote after his alliance did far better than the opposition's alliance," said Hakan Akbas, managing director of political advisory Strategic Advisory Services.

A third nationalist presidential candidate, Sinan Ogan, stood at 5.3% of the vote. He could be a "kingmaker" in the runoff depending on which candidate he endorses, analysts said.