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Turkey's Erdogan wins another term, enters third decade in power

Incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has the lead against Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Turkey’s fateful runoff.
 People chat outside a poling station in a school yard on May 28, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. President Erdogan was forced into a runoff election when neither he nor his main challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP), received more than 50 percent of the vote on the May 14 election. The runoff vote will be held this Sunday, May 28. (Photo by Ed Ram/Getty Images)
Last Updated: 10 months ago

ANKARA — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won his election bid on Sunday, defeating main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, and entering his third decade at the helm of Turkish politics, the longest in country's history. 

Erdogan received the 52.07% of the vote while Kilicdaroglu received 47.93, according to Anadolu. More than 99 percent of the ballot boxes were counted. 

Speaking at a campaign rally, Erdogan thanked all voters who entrusted him with the responsibility of governing for another term. “I would like to thank each and every member of our nation who once again entrusted us with the responsibility of governing the country for the next five years,” he said.

In contrast to the May 14 race that saw more than 88% turnout, the runoff was marked by a lower turnout. According to the preliminary results, the turnout remained at around 85%.

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