Türkiye's electoral board confirms 1st round election results

ANKARA

Türkiye's Supreme Election Board on May 19 confirmed the results of the first round of Türkiye's presidential election in which neither incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan nor his main challenger, opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, receiving the majority support needed for an outright victory.

The electoral board announced that Erdoğan secured 49.52% of the vote, with Kılıçdaroğlu getting 44.88% and a third candidate, nationalist politician Sinan Oğan, receiving 5.17%, necessitating a runoff election on May 28 between the top two contenders.

Oğan, a former academic who was backed by an anti-migrant party, might hold the key to victory in the runoff now that he’s out of the race.

Speaking to Turkish media earlier this week, Oğan listed the conditions to earn his support. Among them are taking a tough stance against PKK terror organization, as well as creating a timeline for sending back millions of refugees, including nearly 3.7 million Syrians.

On Thursday, Kılıçdaroğlu shifted from his more inclusive, soft-toned rhetoric to appeal to nationalist voters, vowing to send back millions of refugees.

Meanwhile, speaking to CNN International in an interview broadcast on Friday, Erdoğan said he would not bend to Oğan’s demands: “I’m not a person who likes to negotiate in such a manner. It will be the people who are the kingmakers.”

Yet on Friday a surprise meeting between Erdoğan and Oğan took place at the former’s Istanbul office. No statement was made following the nearly one-hour meeting.