Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially declared winner of Turkish presidential election runoff

With 52.18% of the votes, Erdogan emerged as the victor, as announced by Ahmet Yener, the chairman of the election council, in Ankara on Thursday.

The final results of the May 28 presidential runoff have been submitted to the Official Gazette for publication, ensuring the transparency and official confirmation of the outcome. The official figures reveal that Erdogan secured 52.18% of the votes, while his opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the opposition, received 47.82%.

Yener also highlighted that the voting process for overseas citizens had been successfully completed on May 24, 2023, before the election day within the country. This extensive electoral procedure took place across 73 countries, 151 representative offices, and 16 centers, underscoring the inclusive nature of the democratic process.

Regarding voter turnout, Yener provided information on the participation rates. Domestically, the turnout stood at an impressive 88.92%, demonstrating a strong engagement from Turkish citizens. Meanwhile, abroad, the participation rate reached 53.80%, reflecting the active involvement of overseas voters. Overall, when considering domestic, international, and customs participation, the total participation rate was recorded as 87.05%.

It is noteworthy that while the parliamentary elections held on May 14 concluded definitively, none of the candidates in the concurrent presidential polls managed to secure the necessary 50% majority for an outright victory. However, President Erdogan had maintained a leading position during the initial round of voting, ultimately culminating in his official declaration as the winner of the Turkish presidential election runoff. (ILKHA)