Türkiye's Supreme Election Council lifts broadcast restrictions after peaceful elections
Ahmet Yener, the Chairman of Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK), has officially announced the early lifting of restrictions on election broadcasts.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Yener confirmed that the ban is no longer in effect. He also reported that the elections proceeded peacefully, with voter registration accepted until 4:59 p.m. and the final ballot cast at 5:33 p.m. across the country.
Yener's announcement followed remarks by Ebubekir Şahin, the Chairman of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), who initially stated that official results would be broadcast after 9 p.m. However, the YSK had the authority to change this time to an earlier slot.
The total number of registered voters in the election exceeded 64.1 million, which included over 1.76 million ballots cast by citizens abroad and 4.9 million first-time voters. To accommodate the large voter turnout, 191,885 ballot boxes were set up throughout the country.
During the election, each voter had the opportunity to cast two ballots, one for the president and another for lawmakers who will serve five-year terms. The presidential candidates included the incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the leading opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, and Sinan Oğan. Although Muharrem Ince had withdrawn from the race, the YSK confirmed the validity of votes cast for him despite his withdrawal.
The elections saw the participation of more than 30 political parties and 150 independent parliamentary candidates. Five multiparty alliances competed for seats, namely the People's Alliance, Nation Alliance, Ancestral Alliance, Labor and Freedom Alliance, and Union of Socialist Forces Alliance. (ILKHA)