Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins reelection

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection Sunday, fending off the toughest challenge he’s faced in two decades of rule.

Erdogan, 69, had received 52% of the vote with 99% of ballots counted in a runoff, according to Turkish news agencies. His challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, got 48% of the vote. Erdogan’s new term will run until 2028.

“I thank each member of our nation for entrusting me with the responsibility to govern this country once again for the upcoming five years,” Erdogan said. “We hope to be worthy of your trust, as we have been for 21 years.”

Erdogan has governed Turkey as president or prime minister since 2002. His conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) also holds a majority of the seats in Turkey’s parliament.

This year’s election was the first time Erdogan faced a runoff. Neither he nor Kilicdaroglu received 50% of the vote in the initial May 14 election.

Kilicdaroglu did not immediately speak following Sunday’s results. The challenger previously questioned the fairness of the initial election.

“My dear nation, they are blocking the system with repeated objections at ballots where we have higher votes,” he said at the time.

Erdogan has acted increasingly like an autocratic strongman as his time in office has extended. He has repressed ethnic minorities, including Kurds, and imposed a more Islamist vision for the country, which was founded as a secular nation. In 2016, he used a failed coup to tighten his grip on power.

However, Erdogan faced the latest electoral challenge shortly after a massive earthquake devastated southern Turkey. The government was blamed for a slow humanitarian response to the disaster.

Turkey has also faced economic troubles caused by significant inflation in recent years, which many people blamed on Erdogan’s economic policies. Kilicdaroglu drew support by promising change.

“I’m not happy at all with the way this country is going. Let me be clear, if this current administration continues, I don’t see good things for the future,” said one of his backers, Mustafa Yesil. “I see that it will end badly — this administration has to change.”

During his time in office, Erdogan has increased Turkey’s presence on the world stage, particularly as an important NATO ally. He’s occasionally caused headaches for Western countries, including the U.S., such as when he blocked Sweden from joining NATO.

Kilicdaroglu has lost a series of elections to Erdogan in recent years. He’s expected to face pressure to step down as leader of the liberal Republican People’s Party (CHP), which he’s led since 2010.

With News Wire Services