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Turkey’s long-standing leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won a new five-year term after securing outright victory in the first round of a presidential poll, the BBC reports.
Election authority chief Sadi Guven said the president “received the absolute majority of all valid votes”.
State media reports put Mr Erdogan on 53% with 99% of votes counted, and his closest rival Muharrem Ince on 31%.
The opposition is yet to officially concede but said it would continue its democratic fight “whatever the result”.
It had earlier cast doubt on results being broadcast by state media. Final results will be announced on Friday.
State news agency Anadolu said the AKP itself had 42% of the votes for parliament with 99% counted, while its partner, the MHP, had 11%. It put the main opposition CHP on 23%.
The pro-Kurdish HDP has exceeded the 10% threshold needed to enter parliament. With 67 seats, it will form the chamber’s second-largest opposition faction.
