Erdogan secures victory in Turkish presidential elections amidst opposition concerns for future

ANKARA — Turkey’s Supreme Elections Council has declared incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the winner of the second round of the presidential elections, defeating opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu. According to non-final results after 99.43% of the ballot boxes were counted both within and outside the country, Erdogan secured 52.14% of the votes, while Kilicdaroglu received 47.86%.

Speaking during a press conference in Ankara on Sunday evening, Supreme Elections Council head Ahmed Yanar confirmed Erdogan’s victory. Following the announcement of the results, Kilicdaroglu expressed his sorrow for the future of the country.

Kilicdaroglu pledged to continue fighting for a better life for the Turkish people and criticized the election process, calling it the most unfair in years. He claimed that all state resources were utilized to benefit one political party, emphasizing the concentration of power in the hands of one individual.

In his statement, Kilicdaroglu urged Turkish citizens to persist in their struggle for democracy, not only for themselves but also for future generations and retirees. He commended the people for their perseverance in the face of challenging circumstances and pressures imposed by the Turkish government.

On 29 May, in the wake of Erdogan’s reelection, the Turkish lira experienced a significant decline. Exchange rates surpassed 20 Turkish liras against one US dollar, raising concerns about the impending collapse of the Turkish economy, as reported by the American media outlet Bloomberg days before the run-off election. The report highlighted the potential impact on Western investments in Turkey if Erdogan were to secure the presidency.

Immediately after the election, violent incidents were reported around the country. Koray Aydin, head of political affairs for the IYI PARTI party in Ankara, took to Twitter to report that IYI PARTI member Erhan Kurt was fatally stabbed in front of the IYI PARTY district headquarters in the Gulyali District of Ordu Province, allegedly by members of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Ordu Gülyalı'da ilçe başkanlığımızın önünde bıçaklanarak katledilen İYİ Parti üyesi Erhan Kurt kardeşimize Allah’tan rahmet, ailesine sabır ve metanet diliyorum.
Başımız sağ olsun.
Bu vahşi cinayetin faillerinin en ağır şekilde cezalandırılması için sonuna kadar takipçi olacağız. pic.twitter.com/leKWKzq2gA

— Koray Aydın (@korayaydintr) May 28, 2023

Observers note that Turkey currently faces significant upheavals, including political, economic, and social challenges. Erdogan’s narrow margin of victory over Kilicdaroglu, who garnered nearly half of the votes, underscores the deep divisions and a strong desire for a change in Erdogan’s regime and government, as stated by the Turkish opposition.