Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won re-election for a third term. Several world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, UK PM Rishi Sunak, and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, have congratulated him on his victory. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Erdogan and expressed confidence that the two countries’ bilateral ties will continue to grow on global issues. Erdogan’s victory gives him an even stronger hand domestically and internationally, with implications far beyond the capital of Ankara. Turkiye plays a key role in NATO and stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
With more than 99% of ballot boxes opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52% of the vote, compared with 48% for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The head of Turkiye’s electoral board confirmed the victory, saying that even after accounting for outstanding votes, Erdogan had secured another term.
In two speeches, one in Istanbul and one in Ankara, Erdogan thanked the nation for entrusting him with the presidency for five more years.
