Turkey's Supreme Election Council: Erdogan has won

Turkey's Supreme Election Council announced that current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been declared the winner of the elections held on Sunday. According to this body, Erdogan has secured more than 50 percent of the votes, eliminating the need for a second round of presidential elections. The head of the Supreme Election Council of Turkey stated on the morning of July 4 that Erdogan has achieved 'an absolute majority of valid votes' in the presidential elections. The state news agency of Turkey reports that current results show Erdogan winning with 52 percent of the votes, followed by Muharrem Ince, the representative of the Republican People's Party, with 31 percent. Turkish state television has also published similar statistics, stating that 99 percent of the votes have been counted. Turkish state media indicate that the results of the parliamentary elections also show the victory of the Justice and Development Party and its allies; according to these reports, the 'Justice and Development' party has obtained over 42 percent of the votes, and the 'Nationalist Movement' has secured over 11 percent, granting this coalition more than 53 percent of the seats. The opposition coalition has obtained 34 percent of the seats. The main opposition group, the 'Republican People's Party' led by Muharrem Ince, has secured 23 percent of the seats. The Peoples' Democratic Party, which is considered a pro-Kurdish organization and whose leader Selahattin Demirtaş is currently imprisoned, has received 11 percent of the votes, thus surpassing the 10 percent threshold to enter parliament. Turkish officials state that 87 percent of eligible voters participated in the voting on Sunday. In the final hours of Sunday, Erdogan stated that the Turkish people have entrusted him with 'the responsibility of the presidency and executive mission.' In a brief speech, he expressed, 'I hope no one questions the election results and undermines democracy to cover up their failures.' The parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey were held from the morning until the evening of Sunday. Some international media had previously reported that these elections represent 'the most significant challenge' for Erdogan and the 'Justice and Development' party since his rise to power and political establishment. Erdogan and the 'Justice and Development' party have been in control of the Turkish government for a decade and a half. Meanwhile, international news agencies reported that the speech of Muharrem Ince, Erdogan's main rival, did not receive coverage in state media, including 'TRT News,' and the media coverage of Erdogan was significantly greater than that of his opponents. Turkey's economy has grown rapidly in recent years, with its GDP rising from about $200 billion to over $900 billion. However, in recent months, the value of the national currency has significantly declined. On the other hand, recent political and social events, including widespread purges of opponents, have faced significant criticism, and the government is also facing accusations of moving towards a 'totalitarian' system. On Sunday, the German newspaper 'Welt am Sonntag' reported that 'about 300' Turkish diplomats have requested asylum in Germany since the failed coup in 2016.