Turkey's Elections 'Likely' to Go to Second Round

As the counting of votes from most ballot boxes continues and it appears that none of the candidates have succeeded in obtaining a majority of votes, it seems that the fate of this round of Turkey's presidential elections will go to a second round. As of the time of this report, neither Erdogan nor his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu has been able to secure more than 50 percent of the votes in the voting held on Sunday. According to previous announcements, the second round of Turkey's presidential elections is scheduled to take place on May 28. In his speech, which he traditionally gives after elections, Erdogan stated, 'It is true that the final result of the elections has not yet been announced, but we are leading by a large margin.' Kemal Kilicdaroglu also stated early Monday that Erdogan has not received the confidence of the Turkish people and 'we will win in the second round of elections.' Pre-election polls indicated a very tight race, with Kilicdaroglu, who leads a six-party coalition, briefly surpassing Erdogan, with both final-day polls showing his supporters even above 50 percent. Meanwhile, several opposition figures had previously expressed concern about the slow counting of votes. Erdogan delivered a speech at his party's headquarters at 2 a.m. Istanbul time, asserting that he believes he can secure more than 50 percent of the votes. Now, with nearly 90 percent of the votes counted, it seems that determining the overall result of the elections will be postponed until the 28th of this month, which corresponds to Sunday, May 28, when, if the current situation continues and neither candidate can secure more than 50 percent of the votes, the future president of Turkey will be determined in one of the most significant presidential elections in the 100-year history of Turkey. While the presidential elections in Turkey, which many observers say may mark the beginning of a new political era in Turkey, have concluded and the counting of votes is nearing completion, the two leading rivals have extended their competition into social media and Twitter. Kilicdaroglu tweeted asking election observers not to leave the counting locations, adding, 'The story that started with 60 percent has now dropped below 50 percent. My people, I will not sleep tonight.' Erdogan also tweeted criticizing his opponents for announcing early results, similarly urging election observers to watch over the ballot boxes. It is noteworthy that by the time this report was prepared, nearly 85 percent of the votes had been counted, with Erdogan leading with almost 50 percent of the votes, followed closely by Kilicdaroglu with about 43 percent. Earlier reports from Reuters and the Associated Press indicated that initial results from the presidential elections on Sunday showed Erdogan ahead of his main rival Kilicdaroglu. According to the Associated Press, Erdogan's votes are around 52 percent and Kilicdaroglu's initial votes are about 42 percent; however, as the counting continues, the gap between the two may narrow. Kilicdaroglu, one of the main candidates in the presidential elections, rejected the claims of state media regarding Erdogan's lead in the initial results, asserting that he himself is in the lead. Voting in the parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey, which began at 8 a.m. local time, ended at 5 p.m., and polling stations were closed. However, those who were in line were allowed to cast their votes, after which the counting of votes began. No major security incidents or disruptions have been reported at polling stations in Turkey. However, Al Jazeera reported that 'unfortunately, three people - an observer at a polling station and two voters - suffered heart attacks due to the palpable excitement and tension that has engulfed the country.' Millions of eligible citizens in this country went to the polls on Sunday. Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan cast their votes at a polling station in Istanbul on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, Kilicdaroglu, the representative of the opposition coalition, and his wife Selvi Kilicdaroglu voted at a polling station in Ankara. 64 million Turkish citizens are eligible to vote in today's pivotal elections, and published images indicate high participation from the citizens of this country in the elections. The Turkish elections are at the forefront of the world's major news, and many observers describe this election as 'perhaps' the beginning of a new political era in Turkey. Ahead of the Turkish elections, concerns about manipulation of election results and unrest have intensified. What will be the impact of the Turkish elections on Washington-Ankara relations? The atmosphere in Turkey ahead of the presidential elections; Leili Nikfar reports. The tough decision for Turkish citizens; Erdogan's powerful displays or Kilicdaroglu's calm and confidence in victory. The Turkish elections; Erdogan becomes the imam of Hagia Sophia in the style of Ottoman sultans. The opposition's mobilization against Erdogan ahead of the Turkish elections.