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ISTANBUL, TURKEY – MAY 13: Supporters of ruling Ak Party attend the final election rally by Turkey’s President Erdogan in Beyoglu the district of his childhood on May 13, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. On May 14th, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will face his biggest electoral test as the country goes to the polls in the country’s general election. Erdogan has been in power for more than two decades — first as prime minister, then as president — but his popularity has recently taken a hit due to Turkey’s ongoing economic crisis and his government’s response to a series of devastating earthquakes. Meanwhile, the political opposition has united around one candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, with some polls giving him an edge. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Erdoğan ahead

Culture

Monday 15 May 2023

Erdoğan ahead

Deputy Editor

Giles Whittell
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – MAY 13: Supporters of ruling Ak Party attend the final election rally by Turkey’s President Erdogan in Beyoglu the district of his childhood on May 13, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. On May 14th, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will face his biggest electoral test as the country goes to the polls in the country’s general election. Erdogan has been in power for more than two decades — first as prime minister, then as president — but his popularity has recently taken a hit due to Turkey’s ongoing economic crisis and his government’s response to a series of devastating earthquakes. Meanwhile, the political opposition has united around one candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, with some polls giving him an edge. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is not giving up power without a fight having spent 20 years acquiring a taste for it. A second-round runoff looked inevitable with nearly 99 per cent of votes counted this morning in Turkey’s most consequential election in a generation. Erdoğan had 49.95 per cent of votes cast, according to the central election commission. His challenger, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, was trailing by about five points but – publicly at least – upbeat. “If our nation says second round, we will absolutely win in the second round,” he said. The remaining 5 per cent of votes went to an ultra-nationalist who hasn’t yet declared for either leading candidate, but it’s hard to see the state-backed media outlets that overwhelmingly back Erdoğan abandoning him now. Kılıçdaroğlu has his work cut out. Round 2 will be on 28 May.

Photographs Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images