Erdogan ahead with one-third of votes counted: media

Ankara, May 15:-- Initial results of Türkiye's presidential election on Sunday showed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead with 52.9 percent of votes compared to opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu with 41.2 percent, according to the unofficial preliminary results.

Nearly 38 percent of the ballot boxes are opened, and the gap between Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu is narrowing as more votes are counted, said the report.

If no presidential candidate wins over 50 percent of the vote, a runoff vote will be held on May 28.

Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections are one of the most consequential events that could either stretch incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's tenure into a third term or set Türkiye on a new course.

The voter turnout was noticeably high as electorates formed long queues in polling stations across the country.

International observers were deployed across the country, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission.

Some 61 million voters are registered to cast their ballots. Ahead of the elections, more than 1.76 million Turks abroad have cast their votes at diplomatic missions and customs gates between April 27 and May 9.

Related World News

PM Modi conferred with Trinidad and Tobago’s highest civilian honour

PORT OF SPAIN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Friday conferred with 'The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’, becoming the first foreign leader to receive the Caribbean country's highest civilian honour. This is the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Mo....

Russia Grants Formal Recognition to Taliban Government, Afghanistan Calls Decision Courageous

(Fast Mail):-- Russia has officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan, becoming the first country to grant such recognition. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that it has accepted the credentials of the new ambassador sent by the Taliban. This decision is considered a signi....

Donald Trump’s Ambitious Bill Passed by US Congress: Key Changes and Implications

WASHINGTON: With the support of Republican Party members, the US House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress, has passed President Donald Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax cut and spending reduction bill. The bill has now received approval from both chambers of Congress (the House an....

94 Palestinians killed in Gaza, including 45 people waiting for aid, authorities say

Airstrikes and shootings killed 82 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, including 38 while attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid, hospitals and the health ministry said on Thursday, 3 July. Israel's military did not have immediate comment on the strikes. Five people were killed....

Trump Threatens Elon Musk Again, Says He May Have to Return to South Africa if Subsidies Are Cut

Once close allies, US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk are now locked in an escalating feud. Trump has once again threatened to cut subsidies to Musk’s companies, warning that such a move could force Musk to “close shop” and return to his native South Africa. ....