Turkey’s nail-biting presidential election has gone to a runoff, with incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his main challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, set to face off on May 28. Erdogan won 49.5% of the vote, while Kilicdaroglu won 44.9%. This is the first election in Turkey’s history in which no presidential candidate secured a majority in the first round. Erdogan appears to have the edge with his lead over Kilicdaroglu, just shy of an outright majority. The elimination of a third candidate, Sinan Ogan, leaves the 5.7% of voters who chose him up for grabs. Erdogan has tapped state resources to improve his chances, raising civil servant salaries and the national minimum wage. He has also used nationalist rhetoric to appeal to voters. Turnout for the election was 88.9%, with Turks taking elections seriously. The results demonstrate Erdogan’s enduring appeal and influence, and the outcome of the runoff will shape the course of Turkey for the next five years.
Categories