admin
ISTANBUL. — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was yesterday leading a tightly-contested presidential election in early counting as he seeks a new mandate in the face of a revitalised opposition and weakening economy.
Turkish voters had for the first time cast ballots for both president and parliament in the snap polls, with Erdogan looking for a first round knock-out and an overall majority for his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to extend his 15-year grip on power.
In the presidential poll, Erdogan had over 58 percent against his nearest rival Muharrem Ince of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) with over 27 percent, state-run Anadolu news agency said, based on a 27 percent vote count.
Erdogan needs over 50 percent to retain the presidency in the first round but these were still early results and the outcome could yet change drastically.
Trailing were Meral Aksener of the nationalist (Iyi) Good Party with over seven percent and Selahattin Demirtas of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) with under six percent. — AFP
Online Reporter