Monday May 29, 2023
The election was considered one of the most crucial for Turkey.
In his victory speech, Erdogan pledges to put all disputes behind him.
Biden, Putin, congratulations to Erdogan, I look forward to working with him.
ANKARA: President Tayyip Erdogan extended his two decades in power in Sunday's election, winning a mandate to pursue increasingly authoritarian policies that have polarized Turkey and strengthened its position as a regional military power.
His challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu called it "the fairest election in recent years" but did not dispute the result.
Official results showed Kilicdaroglu with 47.9% of the vote to Erdogan's 52.1%, indicating a deeply divided nation.
The election was seen as one of Turkey's tightest to date, with the opposition believing it had a strong chance of ousting Erdogan and reversing his policies after his popularity was hit by the cost of living crisis.
Instead, the victory bolstered his image of invincibility after he had already overhauled domestic, economic, security and foreign policy in the NATO member nation of 85 million people.
The prospect of another five years of his rule was a major blow to opponents who accused him of undermining democracy as he amassed more and more power - a charge he denies.
In a victory speech in Ankara, Erdogan pledged to put all disputes behind him and unite behind national values and dreams, but then shifted gears, lashing out at the opposition and accusing Kilicdaroglu of siding with terrorists without providing evidence.
He said the release of former pro-Kurdish party leader Selahattin Demirtas, whom he called a "terrorist", would not be possible under his government.
Erdogan said inflation is Turkey's most pressing problem.
Kilicdaroglu's defeat is likely to be mourned by Turkey's NATO allies, who have been concerned about Erdogan's ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who congratulated his "dear friend" on his victory.
US President Joe Biden tweeted: “I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges.
Congratulations to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye on his re-election.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 28, 2023
I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges.
US relations with Turkey have been strained by Erdogan's objection to Sweden joining NATO, as well as Ankara's close relationship with Moscow and disagreements over Syria.
The only winner today is Turkey, says Erdogan
Addressing cheering supporters from a bus in Istanbul earlier, Erdogan, 69, said: "The only winner today is Turkey." "Thank you to each and every one of our people who have once again given us the responsibility to run the country for the next five years," he said.
Erdogan's victory extended his tenure as the longest-serving leader since Mustafa Kemal Atatürk founded modern Turkey from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire a century ago - a politically powerful anniversary that will be commemorated in October with Erdogan in charge.
Erdogan, head of the Islamist-rooted AK Party, appealed to voters with nationalist and conservative rhetoric during a divisive campaign that diverted attention from deeper economic problems.
Kilicdaroglu, who has promised to steer the country down a more democratic and collaborative path, said the vote showed the people's will to change authoritarian rule. "All the resources of the state were laid at the feet of one man," he said.
'Sad and disappointed'
Erdogan's supporters who gathered outside his Istanbul residence chanted Allahu Akbar, or God is the greatest.
"I expect everything to get better," said Nisa, 28, a veiled woman wearing a headdress bearing Erdogan's name.
Another Erdogan supporter said Turkey would grow stronger with him in office for the next five years.
"In every country in the world, in European countries, there are problems, problems... With strong leadership, we will also overcome Turkey's problems," said a supporter named Mert, 39, as he celebrated with his son.
Bugra Oztug, 24, who voted for Kilicdaroglu, accused the opposition of failing to change. "I feel sad and disappointed, but I'm not hopeless. I still think there are people who can see reality and the truth," Oztug said.
Erdogan's performance has soured detractors who thought voters would punish him for the country's initially slow response to devastating earthquakes in February that killed more than 50,000 people.
But in the first round of voting on May 14, which included parliamentary elections, his AK party came out on top in 10 of the 11 earthquake-hit provinces, helping it secure a parliamentary majority along with its allies.
Fear for freedom
French President Emmanuel Macron offered his congratulations, saying France and Turkey have "enormous challenges to face together".
The presidents of Iran, Israel and the Saudi king were among the leaders who congratulated him in the Middle East, where Erdogan has asserted Turkish influence, sometimes with military force.
Erdogan, who has been at odds with many governments in the region for years, has taken a more conciliatory stance in recent years.
Emre Erdogan, a professor of political science at Istanbul's Bilgi University, attributed Erdogan's success to his supporters' belief "in his ability to solve problems, even though he created many of them."
Erdogan has also maintained the support of conservative voters who have long felt marginalized. "This era will be characterized by the decline of political and civil liberties, polarization and cultural struggles between two political tribes," he said.
Erdogan appeared to win despite years of economic turmoil that critics blamed on unorthodox economic policies that the opposition has vowed to reverse.
Uncertainty over what an Erdogan victory would mean for economic policy pushed the lira to record lows last week.
Reuters reported last week that there was disagreement within Erdogan's government over whether to stick with what some called an unsustainable economic program or abandon it.
Kilicdaroglu promised to restore the government, restore human rights and restore independence to the courts and central bank after they were sidelined over the past decade.
