Turkey’s presidential elections appeared to be be moving toward a second-round runoff on Monday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country with a firm grip for 20 years, leading over his arch rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Erdogan has been leading with 49.4% of the votes, with Kilicdaroglu, garnering 45% of the votes, after 99.4% of the domestic votes and 84% of the overseas votes counted so far, as a third candidate, nationalist politician Sinan Ogan received 5.2%.
But, Erdogan is falling short of the majority votes needed for an outright win to extend his 20-year leadership of the NATO-member country.
Erdogan, 69, told supporters in the early hours of Monday that he could still win. He said, however, that he would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28.
Neither Erdogan nor Kilicdaroglu have been able to meet the 50% threshold needed to avoid a second round, to be held on May 28.