Erdogan Outperforms Opposition Leader

AFP/ADEM ALTAN

An election official shows a ballot paper featuring the two candidates, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Kemal Kilicdaroglu at a polling station during the presidential runoff vote in Ankara on May 28, 2023. Turkey votes on May 28, 2023 in a historic runoff that Turkish President enters as the firm favourite to extend two decades of his Islamic-rooted rule to 2028.

ANKARA, SUNDAY – Early vote count results in the second round of Turkey’s presidential election on Sunday (28/5/2023) placed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of his rival, opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Turkish Election Board chairman Ahmet Yener said that with 54.6 percent of the ballot boxes were counted, Erdogan had received 54.5 percent of the vote while Kilicdaroglu received 45.5 percent.

Turkey’s national news agency, Anadolu, reported that of the 97 percent of votes counted, Erdogan was ahead with 52.5 percent compared with Kilicdaroglu with 47.8 percent. Independent news agency Anka also reported Erdogan’s lead over Kilicdaroglu with 50.06 percent compared with 49.4 percent.

The final outcome of this election could have implications far beyond Ankara. Turkey sits at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and plays an important role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Voters poured into polling stations that opened at 8 a.m. local time. About 64 million people were eligible to vote. In the first round of the presidential election, 87 percent of voters cast their ballots.

Now it is time to protect the will of our country until the last second.

According to an Al Jazeerareport, voters were less enthusiastic in the second round than in the first. Andolureported a voter turnout of 85 percent. “Turkey has had so many elections over the past decade. People are tired of ballot boxes for mayors, parliament, presidential referendums, elections,” said a voter in Istanbul.

The BBCreported that while voters were seen queuing before polling stations opened, the queues were not as long as during the first round. Yener said there were no allegations of fraud in the second round. Moreover, there were no reported negative conditions that would impact the voting process.

Once the polls closed, Erdogan thanked his campaign team. He called on people to protect the ballot boxes. “I invite all citizens to protect the ballot boxes until the final result. Now it is time to protect the will of our country until the last second,” he tweeted.

Three times

Erdogan (69) turned his country into a geopolitical player with a foothold in “hot areas” such as in Syria and Libya. “This is the first two-round presidential election in Turkish history. I pray to God that this election will be beneficial for our nation and country,” Erdogan told reporters after casting his vote at a school in the capital, Istanbul.

Kilicdaroglu (74) described the second round of the election as a referendum on Turkey's future. He believed election had taken place under very difficult circumstances, exacerbated by slander and defamation.

"However, I believe in the people's common sense. Democracy and freedom will arrive. The people will be able to go out to the streets and freely criticize politicians," said Kilicdaroglu, who cast his vote at the same time in a separate location from Erdogan.

AFP/MURAD SEZER

Turkey's President and presidential candidate of AK Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R), flanked by his wife Emine Erdogan (L), casts his ballot on the day of the Presidential runoff vote in a school in Istanbul on May 28, 2023.

If Erdogan wins, he will remain in power until 2028. With three terms as prime minister and two as president, Erdogan is Turkey's longest-serving leader. The first half of Erdogan's term included reforms that allowed Turkey to begin talks to join the European Union and economic growth that lifted many out of poverty.

However, it was later felt that Erdogan suppressed freedom, the media and concentrated power in himself. Especially after the failed coup attempt, which Turkey said was orchestrated by the United States-based Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan transformed the presidency from a largely ceremonial role to a powerful office through a 2017 referendum. Winning narrowly, he abolished Turkey's parliamentary system of government. Erdogan was the first directly elected president in 2014 and won election again in 2018.

This year, Erdogan did not win right away. Critics blame Erdogan's unconventional economic policies for skyrocketing inflation that has triggered a cost-of-living crisis. Many also blamed his government for its sluggish response to the earthquake that killed at least 50,000 people in Turkey.

If Erdogan wins, he will remain in power until 2028.

Erdogan retains the support of conservative voters who remain loyal to him to raise the profile of Islam in a Turkey founded on secular principles and to increase Turkey's influence in global politics. To appeal to voters affected by inflation, Erdogan raised wages and pensions and subsidized electricity and gas bills.

He also showcased Turkey's home-grown defense industry and infrastructure projects. He promised to rebuild earthquake-affected areas, including building 319,000 homes within a year. Many view Erdogan as a guardian of the country's stability.

Meanwhile, Kilicdaroglu is a mild-mannered former civil servant who has led the secular Republican People's Party (CHP) since 2010. During the campaign, he promised to restore democracy as well as revive the economy by returning to more conventional policies and strengthening ties with the West.

To reach out to nationalist voters in the second round, Kilicdaroglu promised if elected to repatriate refugees and rule out peace negotiations with Kurdish groups. Many Turkish citizens consider Syrian refugees who are currently temporarily sheltered by Turkey as a burden on the country. (REUTERS/AFP/AP)

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.